Dark Corners
by Insanity 101
Summary: Raven Roth and Richard Grayson have been married for seven years, and from the outside, all seems perfect within their happy family of 3...Until Timmy starts having nightmares. Pairings: Uh...if you don't know, I'm not going to tell you.
1. Disfunctional Family

_Yes, I'm insane. Yes, I already have (thinks for a minute) five ongoing stories, with sequels in the near future. Yes, I am starting a new story. But it's not my fault! The idea wouldn't leave me alone, I was trying to clean my room and I kept zoning because it was just so persistant...then I tried to write the next chap for Shadow Creature and this idea kept bugging me...so I gave in. _

_Raven and Robin have been married for seven years, they have a little boy. Robin will be referred to as Nightwing and Richard when necessary, and although he technically isn't Robin anymore, that will be used as a nickname, so now that we have that cleared up...

* * *

_

Raven glanced at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time, an agitated sigh escaping her lips as she considered calling him..._No._ World-renowned businessman Richard Grayson knew how to read a clock. He had five minutes to get his rear in the seat next to her or there would be Hell to pay.

A short woman with a good-natured round face appeared on the stage, clearing her throat and adjusting her spectacles. Most of the chattering died down as the woman, Jump City Elementary's principal Rachel Heather, spoke into the microphone. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for being here on this very special occasion. We should be ready to begin in five minutes, so if you would please turn off all cellphones and pagers, it would be much appreciated. Thank you." Ms. Heather smiled warmly and disappeared behind the curtains.

Raven craned her neck around to get a glimpse of the door, hoping against hope that she would see him hurrying along the isle looking for her. A deep frown wrinkled her brow as she settled back into her seat, turning off her cellphone and slipping it into her purse. Why couldn't he have managed to show up, just this once? Couldn't he have left the office ten minutes early to make it to his own son's graduation? Why was that so hard?

The dark red curtains began to part as a playful version of the traditional graduation march drifted to her ears. The stage was brightly lit, while a single spotlight was directed to the right, revealing a short set of stairs leading up to the platform. One by one, the preschoolers marched with practiced precision up the stairs and onto the stage, where four rows of tiny chairs had been set out for them. For the sake of the children's comfort, they were dressed in the clothes they were sent in, the gowns to be saved for the actual persentation of diplomas. The girls were adorned with flowery jumpers, little curls accenting chubby cheeks, the boys with neatly parted hair and slightly disheveled shirts and trousers. Raven leaned forward in her seat, watching for him as midget after midget sat down on the stage, with some tripping but otherwise perfect behavior. And there he was, back straight, hands at his sides, clothes immaculate...but everyone's best efforts had not been enough to tame his wild mop. It insisted on poking up in all directions, though it had obviously been plastered down many, many times. His little face turned uncertainly towards the crowd, and Raven stood up, smiling and waving reassuringly. Her spirits sank slightly as he spotted her, then looked to her right...his face fell and he turned away, straightening his back a little more and holding his head high. Raven slowly sat back down, the look on his face tugging at her heartstrings. She was going to _kill _Richard.

The graduates sang a few songs, such as The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Timmy knew all the words and actions by heart, thanks to long hours of practice, but his performance was lacking the happy enthusiasm that made him truly shine. He kept darting uneasy glances in her direction, and every time he saw that empty seat, the frown got a little deeper.

The children filed off the stage to put on their caps and gowns, and in the meantime, a slideshow of the year's events was projected on a large screen for the parents' enjoyment. Raven couldn't help but smile as a picture of Timmy lovingly petting a visiting kitten appeared on the screen. He was always so gentle and careful of others' feelings...something that reminded her of his papa. Unfortunately, Timothy was in very few of the displayed pictures, and if the camera did manage to catch him, he was generally tucked away in a corner quietly reading a book or making a miniature city with Lincoln Logs. Raven sighed deeply, running a hand through her short purple hair. Timmy just didn't mesh with his class...he didn't mesh with any children his age, for that matter. He was often teased for using big words or choosing to stay in the classroom during recess...and his eyes, of course. He had inherited his mother's eyes.

The slideshow ended with applause from the parents as Ms. Heather appeared on the stage once again, along with Mr. Shanks, the head teacher. "As we call out their name, each child will step onto the stage and recieve their diploma. Ashley Lisa Barry!"

When about fifteen children had been called, it was finally his turn. "Timothy Allen Grayson!" Raven pulled out her camera as he stepped forward, hands twisting nervously; he seemed so small on that immense stage. Timmy took his diploma from Mr. Shanks, murmuring a barely audible "thank you" and turning to walk off as all the other children had done, but Ms. Heather gently held him back. "Wait a moment, Timothy." With that, she turned and addressed the crowd. "This student has proved himself exceptional in almost every aspect of his schooling with us this year, so much, in fact, that the teachers and myself decided he was capable of completing not just preschool but first grade as well, and Timothy did not disappoint us. He completed first grade with flying colors, as we knew he would, and this method allowed him to finish out the school year with his classmates. Next year, he will move on to second grade, where I'm sure he will perform just as well as he did this year!" Raven beamed with pride as the crowd clapped and cheered, but she knew that Timmy wasn't enjoying this in the least. His face was red, his eyes fixed on the ground. She could almost see his relief when Ms. Heather finally let him go.

* * *

On the way out to the car, Raven hugged Timothy and ruffled up his hair, sticky from trying to be flat. "You were great, kiddo." She smiled down at him, but he looked away quickly, nodding in acceptance. Raven sighed gustily, unlocking the car and helping him with the seatbelt. "I know what's bothering you, so you might as well give up the ghost."

Timmy looked over at her and smiled unconvincingly. "I'm fine, nothing's bothering me."

Raven rolled her eyes and revved the engine into life. That was one of Robin's traits she would have rather not seen in her child. She sighed again, feeling like she had to excuse his absence somehow. "I'm sure there was a good reason. You know how busy Papa is at work."

Timothy turned away and leaned his head against the cool window. Of course he knew. Papa was _always_ busy.

* * *

Nightwing pulled into the driveway of his small but beautiful home, noticing that Raven's purple Malibu was already in the garage. She had insisted on a sensible car, though he had managed to convince her to at least choose the color she wanted. He wiped a hand across his mouth, opening the door and stepping out carefully, wincing with every other movement as he noticed the dark red stain on the green towel. Hopefully it didn't seep through to the seats...

He limped to the door, slightly surprised to find it locked. Raven usually left it open for him, even if she went to bed before he got home. Undaunted, he removed the loose brick and fished out the emergency key, unlocking the door and stumbling inside. He was feeling lightheaded, and it wasn't all that surprising, what with the blood loss.

The living room light clicked on, and he blinked in shock as the colorspots slowly died away to reveal Raven sitting on the couch and glaring coldly at him. "Forget something, did we?"

"Wha..." Nightwing cursed as it hit him: Timmy's graduation.

"Well, it's something of a surprise that you remembered at all, but you're about ten hours too late," Raven said, her voice low and monotone as it always was when she was furious.

Guilt coursed through him as he made for the hallway. "Is he awake? I have to talk to him..." He stopped dead in his tracks as shimmering black energy surrounded him and pulled him back into the living room.

"It is three o'clock in the morning. Why on Earth would a five-year-old be awake?" Raven hissed, finally rising from the couch to stand in front of him, the anger crackling around her making her intimidating despite the twelve-inch difference in their heights. Her next question caught him completely off guard. "What's his favorite color?"

Nightwing froze, racking his foggy brain for the answer and knowing that it should have been an easy question. "Red...?"

"Blue." Raven's gaze was icy. "What pet has he been begging you to buy him for a year now?"

A year? He didn't remember that... "What's the point of--"

"A kitten. Who, in his opinion, is his best friend?"

"Raven--"

"You!" Her eyes were fiery as she levitated a foot off the ground and ripped off his mask. "But you wouldn't know that, would you? Far too busy with your company to talk to him during the day, and at night you're gone 'til all hours of the morning playing the hero! You don't even know your own child, but hey, I'm sure the mayor thinks you're just great!"

Raven's feet touched down with a soft thump as she seemed to deflate, sighing and massaging her temples. "You're bleeding," she informed him, a hint of worry escaping her heavy tone.

Robin squinted at the ground, vision blurring and doubling as he made out a dark red stain on the cream-colored carpet. With a muttered curse, he stumbled backwards in an attempt to save the carpet, but that made the world spin and whistle as he swayed. Raven caught his arm before he could fall, helping him over to the couch which, thankfully, was of a darker shade than the carpet.

She sighed heavily, getting a wet washcloth from the kitchen and gently cleaning the blood, dirt, and sweat off his face before locating the wounds and healing them, as she did almost every night. Fortunately it was only cuts and bruises this time; the broken bones could not be fully healed by her powers. A frown fixed to her face, Raven studied his eyes as she so often did, losing herself in the ocean conealed within them. His eyelids were half-mast and somewhat glazed, no doubt from exhaustion. Brushing a stray lock of jet-black hair out of his eyes, she whispered, "He loves you, Robin. _We_ love you. Don't leave us all alone."

Richard leaned forward slightly and kissed her softly, then looked deep into her eyes, showing her the promise there. "I won't, Rae. _Never._"

* * *

_Ok, so what do you think? Good? Bad? Weird? Boring? Let me know, cuz your reviews determine whether or not I write a second chapter. Trust me, there is a lot more to the story, if you want to hear it. Hurray for my seventh original character! What do you think of Timmy, eh? Review! -Dusty_


	2. Nightmare

_Hmm...yeah I wrote a second chapter, and it was fun! HA! But don't worry...I started writing the epilogue for Broken, so put those pitchforks away (that means you, jambey). Just for your information, Robin is 27 and Raven is 26...so it holds true that Raven was 19 and Robin was 20 when they got married and they were married two years before having a kid. I'm guessing you can imagine why they waited so long. _

_Darth Nat: Uh...thanks? Your review was sending some mixed messages._

_Miss A. LaRosa: Thanks! I will continue as long as you guys read and review._

_raerob4ever: You might understand that bit a little better as the chapters go by._

_Darkofthenight: Thanks! _

_cutter-with-a-cause: LOL thanks. _

_Blaze83: Hm...I'm glad you like it. Yeah, same here. O.o Crazed demonic ferbies? MOMMY!_

_Al the Pirate: Hmm...I never thought of bringing her into it, really. I see that a lot too, and I don't want it to be too terribly overused. I'm glad you like it, and I like long reviews so no problem._

_GDeacur: Thanks! I was hoping they would be...it's a bit hard, because I want them to be mature enough to sound older but not so different that you don't recognize them. Glad you like it so far._

_im in a kill people mood: Thanks! _

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Yeah, I like him too. LOL. Yes he certainly is. Thanks!_

_alena-chan: Ok. It should be pretty fun to write. Thanks!_

_CelticHeiressFiona: Thanks!_

_jambey: Ok, I won't tell a soul...O.O YOU EVIL PERSON! HOW COULD YOU FLAME ME LIKE THAT? Hm...give the guy a break. LOL very possible. Exageration alert! Thanks, buddy._

_Tecna: Thanks! _

_Mina: LOL good, cuz I wanted him to be really cute and just about equal parts Robin and Raven. When you think about it, they're a good mix...Timmy get's Robin's fiery determination and drive, plus Raven's endurance, commitment, and self-control. Yeah, I wanted to end it that way to show that she loves him...and that's why it hurts her so much. Good, cuz I didn't want you guys to dismiss him as a jerk. Yes exactly. http / teentitans. toonzone. net has a lot of pictures...that's where I get mine. I've drawn him a couple times...don't know how good they are though. Good, cuz I'm anxious to read it. No problem...what songs did I suggest anyway? LOL I forgot. So glad you like it! _

_superman35405: LOL cool, I'm glad you like this kind of thing because it is very different from what I usually write so I wasn't all that sure if I'd get reviews. Well, here's the new chap! Hope you like it:)_

_One thing...for those of you who are reading All in the Game, I'm desperately searching for a song for the last chapter, so if you have any suggestions, let me know. Mass response would be best, that way I'll have a couple choices. Here we go!

* * *

_

Timmy sat bolt upright, heart thumping wildly in his chest as he screamed loud and hard. The darkness all around him only fueled his fear as shadows morphed into the towering figure of a man with no face, reaching out to grab him. Not knowing what else to do, Timmy sat frozen on the bed, a lump in his throat and tears coursing down his cheeks.

"Papa," he whispered, chest tight. "Papa..."

* * *

_"No...you're dead! You're gone now!"_

_"I see you have failed to mature in the past few years. Still afraid of me...cowardice is not a trait one looks for in a father."_

_Rage blinded him, but it failed to drown out the horror of hearing that voice again. "I'm not afraid of you! I never was!"_

_A cruel laugh echoed in the darkness. "Lies. Your entire life has been constructed with them; hopeful, desperate lies that you want so badly to be true. They shield you from what you are, Robin."_

_"Don't call me that," he hissed, lashing out in the empty void. _

_"And what about the lies you tell him, Robin? What about all the secrets you hide from him? How do you excuse those away?"_

_Guilt. Horrible, gut-wrenching guilt. "I...I don't--"_

_"He deserves better, Robin. More than a liar such as yourself can give him."_

_Fear. He hated it, hated that horrible feeling of slowly being crushed to death. "No! He loves me!"_

_"Not for long. We'll be in touch, Robin."_

_A scream...someone was screaming..._

"TIMMY!"

"Robin, what's wrong?" Raven mumbled, blinking to clear her sleep-filled eyes as he half-fell out of bed, dragging the covers with him.

"_Him_...Timmy...screamed..." he stuttered, bashing into the doorframe on his way out. Raven sighed deeply; another nightmare. They were fairly rare now, but every now and then Richard would wake up yelling gibberish, and it took quite a lot of work to calm him down again. Raven hadn't heard anyone scream, but now that she was awake she might as well check.

Raven untangled herself from what was left of the blankets and followed Robin down the hallway to Timothy's room. What she saw made her freeze in the doorway, drawing back slightly and peeking around the doorframe.

Robin was sitting on the edge of Timothy's small bed, holding the boy in his arms and rocking gently back and forth, rubbing his back and kissing the top of his head. "I love you...won't let him get you..._never_...I promise."

Raven smiled gently, dragging a hand across her eyes and watching him with a feeling that had been far too absent lately. She converted the image to memory, a precious gift to look back on when morning came and Richard Grayson, alias Nightwing, was back once again.

* * *

Robin held him until his young, reluctant eyes drooped shut, exhaustion claiming his small body, so worn out from tears and fear. He would never admit it, but he was here as much for himself as for Timmy. Hearing the little boy's voice and feeling his heartbeat soothed him in a way nothing else could, chasing away the horrible nightmare and his irrational fears. Just as long as he held him tight enough, nothing could hurt him, nothing could take him away...

He jumped as a gentle hand rested on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Robin swallowed hard, looking up into Raven's penetrating, yet loving, eyes. "It was just...just a dream. He's alright now."

"I meant you." Raven pulled the robe tighter around her and sat down, tucking her hair behind one ear.

Robin couldn't seem to take his eyes off the boy, and as he swallowed yet again, Raven sensed the fear on him like a suffocating poison. "He's gone, right Rae?"

She frowned, knowing exactly who he meant and not liking it at all. "Robin, we haven't seen or heard of him for more than a decade. Either he's dead or he's given up on you." Raven studied her hands, his fear just as potent as before. "What was it about?"

Robin shivered slightly, the words echoing hauntingly in his ears. "Nothing, he just...he said something about...Timmy," he whispered, chewing his lip nervously.

"Well, I guessed that part. What about him?"

Robin shook his head slightly, standing up with Timmy held easily in his arms. "Nothing. It's late...early. Let's go back to bed."

Raven frowned uneasily, but followed him all the same, setting the blankets to rights and taking Timmy from Robin to settle him down in the middle of their king size bed. The frown deepened as she noticed how reluctant he was to let go of the boy, as though some unknown monster was about to swallow him whole, and the second he was in bed, he pulled Timmy to him and wrapped an arm around his small body protectively. "I won't bite him, you know," she muttered, pulling the sheets up around him lovingly.

Robin mumbled an apology and loosened his grip a little. She was almost asleep when he suddenly spoke. "Rae?"

"What?" she groaned, squinting over at the Richard-shaped lump across from her.

"Am I...am I a good dad?" he whispered, voice full of something she couldn't quite place.

Raven sat up in bed, looking at him searchingly. She tried to assure him that he was, but the words stuck in her throat and refused to budge.

He sighed quietly, and Raven almost flinched as she felt his pain. "I knew it. I'm failing him, I'm failing you. I just...I try so hard to do everything...but I can't. I'm sorry, Raven. I'm so sorry...I never wanted things to be this way, somehow I thought... " He fell silent, absentmindedly stroking Timmy's jet black hair.

"I know, Robin. I understand." Well, that was partly true, at least. With a sigh, she turned over and closed her eyes, trying to block out Richard's emotions. Tired or not, Timmy was the kind of kid that always got up with the sun.

* * *

Richard's internal alarm clock didn't go off that morning. He woke slowly and peacefully, peeking out of tired eyes to see Raven asleep across from him. Something fuzzy was tickling his chin in a most annoying fashion, and he looked down to see a furry black hedgehog nestled against his chest. He smiled, seeing Timmy's face buried in his t-shirt, little hands intertwined with the folds of cloth, toes wiggling slightly somewhere down in the sheets and blankets. Warm happiness flooded through him, and he couldn't help but laugh softly as he kissed the top of Timmy's head, marveling at the fact that someone could love and trust him so completely.

His happiness was short-lived, however. The brightness of the room finally got through to his brain, and with a sinking feeling, he jerked his head around, careful not to disturb Timmy, and stared at the wall clock in horror. 8:00. He was officially an hour late for work.

A curse slipped out as he half-fell out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom and swearing non-stop under his breath. One glance at the mirror revealed dark circles under his eyes, toaster hair, and an all-over scruffy look to his face. Trying to brush his teeth and fix his hair at the same time, Richard's mind raced in panic. He had just about completely missed the deadly important meeting with several sponsors of his company. The clock hands traveled a hundred miles per hour while he was stuck at five.

Looking somewhat decent, Richard dashed back into the bedroom, digging through his closet and pulling off his t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"And this is why I keep telling you to get an alarm clock, but no, you don't want to _wake me up_. Wild cursing and scuffling is much less disturbing than a few seconds of beeping. I see your logic there." Raven wasn't much of a morning person, but Richard was used to it by now.

"I love you, too," he muttered, struggling into his suit jacket and fumbling with his tie.

Timmy sat up slowly in the middle of the huge bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he watched Papa tear the dresser drawers apart in search of a pair of socks. It was one of those rare and pleasant mornings when he woke up in their cozy bed, unsure of how or why he was there but feeling content all the same. The only thing that could possibly ruin the feeling was watching Papa leave.

Richard rushed out of the room in a daze, mumbling distractedly and wondering where on Earth he put the keys to the Jaguar.

"Late or not, you should eat something," said Raven, poking her head in the pantry to find one of Timothy's granola bars.

"No time. Where did I put those da--"

Raven pointed wordlessly, and he whipped around to see the keys hanging, amazingly enough, on the key hook next to the front door. She smiled slightly, fixing his jacket and handing him the granola bar with a quick kiss. "Don't crash on the way there, ok?" she said, half-joking, half-serious.

He nodded absentmindedly, grabbed the keys, and rushed out the door with a bang. The sound of an engine revving into life and the squeal of tires...then he was gone.

Raven sighed deeply; another perfect day. She quickly put on a smile when she saw Timmy standing in the doorway, however. "Good morning, Sunshine. What do you want for breakfast?"

"He didn't say goodbye." Raven was quick to notice the tear that slid down his round cheek, slightly pink from sleep. He wiped it away quickly when he thought she wasn't looking.

"He was late...but don't worry. Maybe he'll play a game with you when he gets home. Sound fun?"

Timothy nodded quickly, putting on his face and climbing up to the bar. Masks are hereditary.

* * *

_Ok, chapter 2 complete. Please don't bash Richard...he's doing his best, really! ...yeah, he isn't doing good enough, but it's not because he doesn't love them. On second thought, do whatever you want, so long as you review. -Dusty_


	3. Arrest Warrant and Discovery

_Yeah, I know it was a long wait, but I had to finish up Shadow Creature and Broken or my readers for those stories would have had my head! (There you go jambey! They're done, and you can stop threatening me! lol!) Also, I'm sick as a dog...strep throat is an unfortunate obstacle, I must say._

_Darkofthenight: Yes he does._

_Miss A. LaRosa: LOL those kind of tv dads make me want to hurl, there's no reality in them...so yes, I was going for a more realistic look. Sorry this took so long._

_jambey: LOL I was playing along...you didn't flame me. -sticks out tongue- So there! LOL! Yeah I defended Robin...it's just one of those things that happens. Now that my other stories are done you can feel free to tell me to update all you want, if you like it that is. Oh, and don't kick yourself about Shadow Creature. You reviewed, that's all that matters, and I didn't remind you cuz I figured you were busy. No big._

_Amber Myst: Thanks, I wanted to try something a little different and this idea was quite persistant, so there you have it. LOL Raven would heal them, just like she heals everything else...but he would need a cast for a while. _

_Mina: -whistles- I'm glad you don't, cuz he's really not...he's just under an incredible amount of stress and not coping too well. Robin's tendency has always been to put himself and the ones he loves after his "duty" to justice. LOL yeah I had a lot of fun with that image...and no you don't sound sappy, I really want you guys to like this kid, so I brought out some of his cute side...I mean, he's sorta like a little Robin and that just has to be adorable, right? No prob, it's a good site. Well, it was ok but I have a sister that's an incredible (and I mean incredible) artist...so I think I'll stick to writing. It's hard to find your talent when you have five older sisters that all have a thing that they do amazingly well, but I think I just might have. I get what you mean tho, drawing him was a way to deal with my crazy obsessions before I started writing...I have to let it out or explode lol. Thanks, I'm really glad you're liking this!_

_cutter-with-a-cause: Hmm...guess you'll have to wait and see._

_Al the Pirate: LOL not necessarily...the ones telling me that I suck aren't quite up to the good level. Yeah, I'm having fun communicating that. LOL me too...I don't like the whole love hexagon thing...I did a little of that in Aftereffects and then it was done and out of my system. _

_Sprox: LOL good, I was going for that. Thanks. That would be ideal...sadly I'm not sure he'll get the chance._

_GDeacur: LOL yes, stress for sure. Hmm...guess you'll have to wait and see._

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Thanks! Sorry this took so long._

_DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin: LOL feel free to call me Dusty, if you want. Thanks!_

_Mystyre: No big. :( Yeah, I'm eagerly awaiting updates, but I understand being busy (how could I not?). Thanks! Yeah, I deleted it...lol no need to keep it hanging around. LOL I think I will be...I mean, I don't really intend for him to get abused...but if it happens don't kill me. I just have this thing for when guys get beat up...sad, but true. Robin: Oh yeah, Nerf balls will really get 'em. Uh...what are you talking about? Dusty: Um...it's not like that, I swear! Robin: Not like what? Dusty: Uh...Thanks for reading! Oh and about Shadow Creature, they reviewed the chapter that explained everything cuz everyone was so confused...apparently it's "against the regulations". Kinda dumb, but oh well. As long as they leave my song fics alone -crosses fingers-  
_

_Child of a Pineapple: LOL thanks, and I like the name Timmy too...I hoped he would grow on you guys like he has on me._

_Digital. One Piece.: LOL yeah, I just get sick of saying over and over again what the pairing is, because people don't pay attention to it anyway. I still get people flaming the pairing...-sigh- It's always good to get feedback...if I was that confident, I wouldn't bother putting them up...Thanks for reviewing, and it's fine if you just want to silently read. Glad you like it!_

_lorna: I guess you're just going to have to read and find out. Don't expect any special privileges :P  
_

_M.A.Y 27: Thanks, I wanted to try something a bit different. Sorry it took so long._

_Umbro Draco: -bows- Why thank you. LOL it's a funky gothic purse, like I said. If I can handle ShadowXRaven you can handle Raven with a purse lol. Yeah, I enjoy writing that... -sticks out tongue- You're not getting anything from me! I know how that is...sometimes the story just won't transfer from your brain to your hand to the pencil/keyboard to the paper/screen. LOL yes, a company. And yes, he does hero work...but he can't do it in daylight because...well you'll soon see. _

_Ok, here we go.

* * *

_

Thanks to a speeding ticket and a particularly ornery cop, Richard arrived two hours late for work. At this point, he could only hope that everyone had left by now.

But fate is unkind.

"Ah, Mr. Grayson. You finally decided to grace us with your presence."

Richard froze in the doorway, eyes wide and extremely conscious of his ruffled suit and wind-blown hair. "Yes...I mean no, I..." He swallowed hard and tried to find his dignified-businessman voice. "I sincerely apologize for my lateness, gentlemen." He took a seat, trying hard not to fidget under their penetrating glares.

Norman, an especially nasty individual, was glaring the hardest. After what felt like an eternity, he looked away, nodding to the rest of the stiffs gathered around the table. One by one, they all stood and headed for the door, a certain Mr. Wayne throwing a sympathetic glance in Richard's direction, but believe me, it was the only one. Before long Norman and Richard had the room to themselves; a very dangerous situation indeed.

"It's always the same song and dance with you young whippersnappers. Think you can just elbow your way into the market and act like your ass is made of gold? Well guess what, punk? Dear old dad might let you get away with that, but you can bet that _we_ won't. Try that stunt again, and we're pulling your funding."

Norman smirked in a satisfied way as Richard's eyes widened. He left the room with a bang, leaving Mr. Grayson in a state of complete shock.

* * *

Timmy yawned slightly as he shuffled down the hallway, on the way to the library. Something caught his eye as he glanced in the living room door. He froze, eyes narrowing slightly as he pushed it open and stepped inside. There was a strange, reddish-brown stain on the carpet, a trail of the same stuff leading up to the couch which, on closer inspection, sported stains as well. It looked an awful lot like something he did not want to think about, especially in his home. "Mom!"

He heard a distant, "What?" then the sound of her feet softly padding across the wood flooring of the hallway until she appeared in the door. "What is it, squirt?"

Timmy held out his arm and pointed to the stain, though his violet eyes were locked on his mother. "What's that?"

Raven visibly paled, her eyes widening ever-so-slightly. In the blink of an eye, she was back to her normal, calm self...but now he _knew_ that something was wrong.

"Your papa spilled a can of soda, and I forgot to clean it up. That stain had better come out, or he's in big trouble," she said jokingly, making for the kitchen.

"What kind of soda?"

Raven froze, turning around in a slightly uncomfortable manner. "Black cherry."

Timmy's eyes narrowed. "It looks more brown that purple."

Raven shrugged her shoulders, though he could see she was becoming increasingly uneasy. "The color changes once it seeps into the carpet and dries."

Timothy chose to abandon that arguement and move on to the next. "Looks like he sprayed it all over the room, even on the couch. He's usually not that messy, especially in here." Papa wouldn't even let him eat a bowl of popcorn in the living room, so he found it hard to believe that he would dump a can of soda all over the cream carpet.

"Well we all have our days. Why don't you go play outside? It's beautiful out there." Raven avoided his eyes as she turned and left the room, signaling that the conversation was over.

Timmy, however, was far from convinced. As he watched his mother leave, he knew without a doubt that she was hiding something. He would just have to find out for himself.

Timothy walked over to the stain and crouched down beside it, pressing his hand firmly into the carpet. It felt somewhat sticky, but not as sticky as soda would be. Frowning deeply, he raised his hand to his nose and sniffed. It had a barely detectable rusty smell to it, like metal...or blood.

Feeling sick, he stumbled away from the stain and ran to the bathroom. While scrubbing his hands vigorously, he glared at the counter, thinking hard. If it was in fact a blood stain, the obvious question was who was bleeding? And why didn't his mom want him to know about it? Something was wrong...they were keeping secrets from him, and he was going to find out what they were...one way or another.

* * *

Richard sighed deeply, rubbing his tired eyes and trying not to think about what would happen if his company went under. He knew Bruce would stick by him...but would that be enough to keep a relatively new company above water? He doubted it...and he wouldn't take that from Bruce anyway. He had already done too much. No, if he wanted to be successful, he would have to keep, or rather, _get_ on the good side of that old bag Norman. He couldn't afford to screw up again.

He smiled slightly as he saw a cup of coffee, ready and waiting for him on his desk. He should give Amy a raise...Mr. Grayson laughed bitterly. "If this company goes under, you won't be giving _anyone_ a raise."

Taking a grateful gulp of the warm liquid, he eased himself down on the chair and glanced casually at the morning paper...then spewed a mouthful of coffee all over his desk. Eyes wide, he grabbed the slightly damp paper and stared in disbelief at the front page headline.

**NIGHTWING WANTED FOR ARREST**

"No way..." he choked, scanning the article. The more he read, the wider his eyes became and the harder his stomach clenched.

_The dangerous criminal, known only as "Nightwing", has finally crossed the line. Early this morning, Officer Jerron discovered the bodies of two middle-aged men, mangled and contorted almost beyond recognition. "I've had experience with this guy before," says Jerron. "Those were his weapons, no doubt about it." _

_"Nightwing", who was previously considered a danger and a public menace, has now been proclaimed a vicious murderer. Enraged families and law enforcement agencies alike are calling for this dangerous criminal's arrest, and some have demanded a death sentence._

_Should you encounter this individual, contact police immediately. Do not approach him under any circumstances, and we advise that, for your own safety, you remain indoors after nightfall. _

Richard swore quietly, viciously crumbling the entire paper and chucking it into the wastebasket. Lies! He never killed anyone! He knew which men the article was talking about, and he was sure they were alive, just unconscious and tied up to wait for the police, same as always. He was no murderer!

But then...how did they die? And with _his_ weapons?

* * *

Timmy took one last glance over his shoulder, then slipped silently down the stairs to the basement. It was supposedly Papa's home office, allowing him to work even when he was away from work, and Timothy was not allowed down there. He felt guilty, sneaking like this and disobeying his Papa, but there were questions that needed answers, and his instincts told him the first place to look was anywhere that was "forbidden". He was fueled, not only by curiousity, but by fear. Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it.

He spent quite a while searching the wall for a lightswitch, uncomfortable in the pitch-black as half-remembered images of a nightmare flashed in his mind. Desperate and just about ready to run back upstairs, Timmy stepped off the last stair and gasped in shock. The spacious room was suddenly flooded with light. He assumed there was some kind of trigger in the carpet pad.

It was just a normal office. There was a desk, bookcases, filing cabinets, a small fridge; absolutely nothing suspicious...but something caught his eye all the same.

It was a framed photograph, resting on one of the many bookcases; this one, however, was set apart from the others. There was a group of people, all strange except for his mother and father. Richard had a protective arm around Raven's shoulder, his other hand resting comfortably on her belly. "That's me," he thought, with a small smile. But then his attention was drawn back to the other four people in the shot, and his mouth dropped open. One man, somewhat on the short side with sparse hair, was entirely _green_, as though he had jumped in a giant vat of paint. The other, an extremely tall African-American, appeared to be...mechanical. The girls, a blonde with startling blue eyes who was giving the..._green_ man bunny ears, and a tall redhead who seemed to be bursting with happiness, looked fairly normal...aside from the fact that the redhead's eyes were completely green, absolutely no white at all.

Timmy gaped, picking up the picture for a better look. Who were these people? From the looks on his parents' faces, they were good friends...then why didn't he know them? And somehow, he just couldn't get over the fact that one of them was _green_ and, with closer inspection, had _pointed ears_! Desperate for some answers, he turned the frame over and stared at the back. Three words were engraved there:

"The Teen Titans."

Timmy jumped a foot in the air as a low grinding noise filled the air, and the bookcase slid aside to reveal a door...and a staircase.

* * *

_Lol! So it looks like Timmy finally found out a bit...and yet now he's even more in the dark then he was before. Little seeds of doubt are sprouting up all over the place... Ok, I borrowed the name Norman from Spiderman...no resemblance to the character, but I found it funny to place him in the spot of evil guy pulling funding, rather than being the victim of the funding-pulling. ...Wow that didn't even make sense to me. -Dusty_


	4. Nightwing

_Well, here I am with chapter four. Thought I'd warn you, since Shadow Creature: Sacrifice is started, and the sequel to Broken should soon follow, this story might take last place priority wise...unless you guys convince me otherwise. _

_jambey: Good question. LOL I hate when that happens...something of the sort happened to me only I was fortunate enough to be near a sink at the time. -eyebrow twitches- What on earth are you talking about? I don't do that! -eyebrow continues to twitch- LOL good, let it go cuz it's no big deal. Yes, I am so very happy now. -smiles smugly- Thanks._

_strwbrrydaquiri: All the right questions, but I'm afraid now is not the time for answers. Well...I can tell you that yes, Raven defeated Trigon. That won't be important in the story, however. _

_VerticallyxChallenged: LOL yes, I noticed that. Strong dislike doesn't quite cut it. LOL well...if you want me to spoil it, Robin and Starfire had a moment...he basically confessed his love -gag- Stupid Wonder Bread! Robin: Hey! I'm not responsible for what they do to me, anymore than I am for what you do to me. Dusty: -sigh- I suppose not. Well it sucked, royally._

_CelticHeiressFiona: Fruitful indeed. LOL yes, he's quite smart...he had a lovely gene pool, you see. _

_Umbro Draco: LOL that was a cliffhanger? Wow. Here I was thinking that the chapter in Broken that ended with Robin about to shoot Mina was a cliffhanger...I guess you just like this story more than I thought you would. Yes, And Robin! LOL. Yeah, I wanted to kick up the resemblance to Robin in that chapter. Yeah, I add to it frequently even though it's already too long. Yes indeed, Evanescence rules! Good, I'm glad you like him. I'm mostly better now, just have to finish up the bottle of antibiotics...it wasn't that bad, after I got them. Thanks!_

_Mina: LOL! Yeah, I wanted to bring out the family resemblance more. Yes, for my purposes (tho I don't think it's possible) they revived her. LOL I was the same way...hated the dark. I wouldn't sleep in my own room for so long for that very reason. ...Was that out loud? -blushes- Uh anyway. Yeah, I wanted to have a bit of a classic mystery feel to it...LOL yes I borrowed him for my own amusement. -sigh- Not fond is an understatement. Of course I did, your story kicks butt. I sure hope so, otherwise I'm gonna kill the writers! Actually, you're probably better off...that way you won't be disappointed either way. Don't apologize, I love long reviews. I feel better now, the antibiotics kicked it. _

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Thanks!_

_Raven of the Night676: LOL yup, he's smart alright. Thanks, it's mostly just fun...Yeah I had Terra be revived, so BB would have someone. _

_Al the Pirate: LOL thanks._

_Child of a Pineapple: Yes he certainly is...and I think I just might borrow that wording ;P LOL yes, just a little. Thanks!_

_TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: Indeed. Not dumb or obvious, but I can't tell you. It would spoil everything. Thanks!_

_Mystyre: Yeah, Norman...just my little joke. LOL I know, isn't it amazing? Yup. LOL she was stretching...the kid is hard to lie to. Robin: Wth? Ooook... Dusty: Uh...hehehe. Robin: Oh yeah, I can see it now...Mystyre fires Nerf balls at Slade, Slade runs away screaming for his mother. Dusty: I know, it sucks. Yeah, here's hoping. Good, I was hoping you guys would... Robin: Uh...it's definitely...unique. The kid is kinda cute, I guess...basically how I was...when I was smaller... Dusty: Hmm...I wonder why? Robin: -hits with Nerf ball-_

_Laura Titan: -sigh- It's just a cruel world. Thanks!_

_darkfirebird1423: Thanks, and I will, if you guys keep reviewing._

_superman35405: It's ok, I'm feeling a lot better now...just have to finish the bottle of antibiotics to make sure it's gone. That's always good to know :) Wow, thanks! I didn't really expect it to be much...mostly just for fun. _

_Onward ho! Oh and one more thing...have any of you out there seen Batman Begins? -drools- Uguguba...-mumbles senselessly- Robin: Uh...hello? -waves hand in front of eyes- Dusty? Anyone home in there? Wow...looks like she's out to lunch at the moment, so I suppose I'll type this up for her. -shakes head- What's the big deal anyway? Not like Christian Bale is that hot...Oh well. Shut up and read.

* * *

_

Ironically, the meeting with Norman and co. had been the most important event of his work day, and now that he had thoroughly botched that up, there wasn't much left to do. "Great...the _one_ day I actually _want_ to be busy..."

"Leaving already, Mr. Grayson?"

Richard glanced up and forced a smile as he saw Amy hovering in the doorway. She was a nice kid, not like most of today's teenagers. "It looks like it. Oh, wait could you make a few calls for me?"

...An hour later, he was on his way out the door when--

"Mr. Grayson! I really need to talk to you about Project X! There's been a few...problems."

...Three hours later, he climbed into the jaguar, slammed the door, and peeled out of the parking lot...until the speeding ticket caught his eye, and his conscious which, coincidentally, sounded a lot like Raven, started nagging on him. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he slowed down a bit and passed the rest of the trip listening to some rock station or another and trying hard not to think about what he would do, or what would happen if he did it. A very uncomfortable phrase had been echoing in his head all day, and it was still there, twisting his stomach into knots as a familiar burning pain erupted within it...

**Death Sentence. **

"Don't think about it! Get a hold of yourself, or you can bet Raven will sense it the second you walk in the door. Stop being an idiot!" he commanded himself firmly as his stomach heaved. He turned the music up a notch and focused on the road. Right now, he just wanted to get home.

* * *

Raven had tried her best to remove some of the blood with her powers, but it was already dry and more or less fused with the carpet. Looked like it was time to get out that miserable excuse for a carpet shampooer. 

After two long hours of struggling, sweating, and cursing, the stain had been reduced to a faint reddish hue, and apparently that was all she was going to get. Staring at it thoughtfully, she realized that one thing it certainly did not resemble was black cherry soda.

Raven rolled her eyes, smacking her forehead in exasperation. She had caved under interrogation...from a five-year-old! Black cherry soda! It was pathetic. Unfortunately, Timmy had inherited his dad's ability to scatter her wits and get exactly what was needed out of her. By the way he had looked at her, Detective Timmy was already on the case. Hiding Robin's secret life was a job that had fallen, for the most part, on her shoulders, and it was becoming more taxing by the day. She hated lying to him, despised the betrayed look he gave her every time she did. Raven worked so hard to hide it, however, that lying was usually unnecessary.

Until this. How could she forget to clean up the blood? The kid was anything but stupid; he knew what blood looked like. Of course he would be suspicious!

Speaking of which...where was he?

Her stomach twisting uncomfortably, Raven did a quick search of the house and backyard, but there was no sign of Timmy. Trying hard not to panic, she racked her brain. Had she checked all of his favorite hideouts? Like the linen closet, on top of the bookcases in the den, behind the curtains in the dining room...yes, yes, yes. She had looked absolutely everywhere! ...except...

Raven's eyes fell on the door leading down to the basement, finding it slightly ajar. "Oh no."

* * *

Timothy swallowed hard, preparing himself for the pitch-black journey down the who-knows-how-long staircase. This was just like one of those old detective movies Papa sometimes watched, and he felt a certain amount of excitement awake inside him as he imagined himself the hero of some great tale of danger and adventure, uncovering a long-forgotten mystery and finding the keys to the past. After all, that was more or less what he was doing. 

...It was dark, and he didn't like it. He _really_ didn't like it. All thoughts of glory and adventure had faded away along with the precious light, and the only treasure he wanted was to be back up there in the security of things known. Just when he was on the point of turning back, the floor leveled out, and he stumbled slightly as unexpected ground met his foot. It was still dark, and he was still unhappy about it, but now he was determined not to turn back. Not now that he was so close.

A few steps forward in the dark was all that it took. Timmy jumped a foot in the air (nothing to scoff at when you don't have many to spare) as the floor beneath his feet glowed white in one section. Experimentally, he took another step forward, then another...laughing nervously, he watched as a new square of light sprang up with every few steps he took. It was almost like magic...but he knew it wasn't Magic was no more real than Santa Claus.

Just when he was beginning to enjoy this unusual game of hopscotch, it came to an abrupt end as he reached what he later realized was the middle of the room. The entire floor was now aglow, giving an eerie light to the room, which was a lot bigger than he expected it to be. There were little walkways made of the squares of light, leading off in various directions and urging him to follow, which he promptly did. In one corner, there was a monstrosity that could only be a supercomputer, and a rather outdated one at that. In another, there was a plain white bed surrounded by even more outdated equipment, undoubtedly for medical use.

Timmy shook his head slowly, eyes wide and mind racing. Suddenly afraid of being caught, he turned to race back through the doorway, up the stairs, and into the office...but something caught his eye. The faint glow of the floor tiles, reflecting off a smooth surface...

He was drawn to it, as though he and the glass were opposite ends of a magnet. It was opaque, showing him his face instead of its contents, until he stepped right up to the glass, triggering the lights within the display.

Black...a blue bird spreading its wings in flight...a tiny _N_ slashed across the left side of the chest...N...Nightwing. This was Nightwing's suit, he recognized it from the papers. Nightwing the criminal, Nightwing the murderer. _Nightwing._

Timmy stumbled backwards, falling hard on the ground and scooting desperately away from the suit and all that it meant. This wasn't possible, no! Not Papa...he wouldn't...he would _never_--

"But he did."

The boy staggered to his feet, whipping around, eyes wide and searching frantically for the source of that chilling voice. "Wh...who's there?" he whispered, terror squeezing his lungs and making air hard to come by.

**Silence.** Nothing but that suffocating silence.

Slowly, TImmy commanded his feet to move; one step, another...soon he was running, running faster than his short legs had ever before been capable of, running as though the devil himself was down in that room...

For Timmy, he might as well have been.

* * *

Richard was almost home when he glanced casually at a store as he passed it by, wondering if they were out of anything. A large sign, written in red marker, spelled out the words: **Kittens! Free to a Good Home!**

Licking his lip and glancing towards the traffic light, Richard swerved to the right and into the parking lot. It couldn't hurt to look, after all.

The two young girls instantly brightened as they saw him, and they smiled shyly, as though uncertain as to whether they should say something or wait for him to make the first move. Richard grinned widely, stepping right up to them and peering at the box sitting on the bench next to them. "So...kittens, huh?"

"Yes, sir. They're free! ...But not because they're sick or ugly or anything," the girl added hurriedly, recieving an elbow in the ribs from her companion. "Would you like to take a look?" Girl 2 asked.

Richard smiled. "Why not?"

Girl 2 lifted the towel away, revealing the contents of the large cardboard box. About five kittens were crawling around the bottom, meowing and scrabbling the sides of their prison. "Aren't they a little young to be leaving their mother?" he asked skeptically. The last thing he needed was for the kitten to die a week after he brought it home.

"No, no they're weaned. They're just a little...small for their age. Wanna hold one? They're really nice!" Girl 1 assured him, smiling encouragingly.

Richard nodded, and Girl 2 gently lifted a kitten from the box. It was black, save for its paws and the very tips of its ears, nose, and tail, which were pure white. The kitten fit easily into the palm of his hand, head bobbing as it sniffed him curiously. Almost hesitantly, Richard lifted his free hand and stroked its silky fur, smiling in spite of himself as it licked his finger with its tiny pink tongue. Timmy would _love_ it. "So, do I qualify as a good home?" he asked, smiling teasingly at the girls.

Girl 1 giggled and blushed, while Girl 2 said hastily, "Excellent choice, he's the sweetest of the bunch. Quite healthy, too. Enjoy your kitten, sir."

"I will. Thank you, and good luck with the rest." Cradling the tiny kitten inside his suit jacket, Richard walked back to the jaguar and climbed in, grateful for the towel in the back seat as he gently wrapped the kitten and settled it on the floor. Looks like he'd be driving a little less recklessly for the last few blocks...

* * *

_Well, that's what she wrote, word for word, I swear. -looks at Dusty- Nope, still in Lala Land...guess she won't be able to say goodbye to you. -sigh- Christian Bale...Well, until next time then. -Robin (standing in for Dusty)  
_


	5. Good Intentions

_Ah here we are again for another go. Decision for those of you that read Broken: do you like this enough to wait a bit on the sequel? (yes I'm writing a sequel) Because if I'm to give this the attention it deserves, not to mention SC:S, I would need to wait on the sequel...or turn my brain to nuclear waste. So what say you? _

_Mina: With the aid of a bucket of cold water -grumbles about bird brains- I came around and enjoyed reading your review. Well it will definitely be worth it if you get to go...maybe you've already gone. -coughs exageratedly- Who? I'm afraid I've never heard of the guy. Yeah...sucky thing is now it's coming back :( and I'm out of antibiotics. Gah stupid virus...so far it's just the sore throat, no fever or headaches or anything...hopefully there won't be any either. Wait no more, friend! One more song suggestion...Listen To Your Heart, by DHT, don't know if it's helpful, but maybe it'll trigger the plot bunnies?_

_Sprox: For sure and certain. Thanks! Hm...sorta like a train wreck..._

_The Fallen one: Thanks._

_jambey: A right mess indeed. Yup, that's basically it in a nutshell. Ok, well Nightwing is a lot different from Spiderman...Spidey's like the cute little kid version of heroes like Batman and Nightwing...correct me if I'm wrong, but Spiderman didn't get accused of murder (it's been a while since I watched it, so I honestly don't really remember). The kid has heard nothing but bad about the guy, from classmates, etc. and that's all he really had to go off of. Thanks._

_Raven of the Night676: LOL if I would of thought of that, he would have. Didn't really outwit her...she was just uncomfortable lying to him (as all parents are, or should be), so she wasn't thinking as clearly. But yeah, he's flippin smart, but when you think about it, Robin's practically a genius and Raven's highly intelligent as well, so it's not all that unlikely. Robin is just a nickname...he doesn't resent it, but rather has a tender spot for it...just as Raven does for the nickname Rae. Sorry if it's confusing. She would have, if she hadn't been so tired and distracted._

_strwbrrydaquiri: LOL no prob, Yoda is my buddy. Thanks, and I think some of them get answered here...but then they'll be a whole new set...with me you gotta just watch closely, and you will basically not have all the answers until the very last chapter. Or at least, that's how it usually goes._

_VerticallyxChallenged: Grr, it cut off your review again! I don't much want to remember what he said...it makes me want to heave every time I do...but then maybe I'm overreacting...you'll just have to see what you think when you watch it I guess._

_TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: No kidding. -drools- Robin: Don't you even think about starting that again. Dusty: -stops- LOL yes indeed. Hey, that's not too bad of a deal, if you ask me..._

_darkfirebird1423: Thanks, and yes he recognized them...they weren't in costume or anything, so Raven and Robin didn't look all that much different. _

_Umbro Draco: LOL ok I won't make fun...I think he's pretty cute (Robin: NO, really?)...but that's just me...and most of my family as well lol. No that was not Raven. LOL well I honestly don't pretend to be a carpet expert...and no they aren't poor, but Raven probably does the shopping, and she wasn't necessarily scrubbing for two hours...the cussing was more for trying to use it and find missing parts, etc. She generally cleans it up right away and just lifts it out with her powers...Yes, you would think he would...but for some reason he doesn't. Honestly, I think you're right. He takes them for granted...they'll always be there when he's ready to come around... Thanks._

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: LOL ok ok, I won't then. Wouldn't we all like to know? LOL thanks!_

_im in a kill people mood: Well, we're all entitled to our opinions. What do you have against kittens? (whoops I asked) Ah don't harass her...she did her best. Shiny? Hmm...Dusty, of course. Thanks to the bucket of water he threw on me, I came around quite fast -grumbles-_

_Amber Myst: LOL yeah I thought I'd throw something cute and fluffy into the mix here. -whistles- Mebe, mebe not. LOL. Wait no more. _

_Child of a Pineapple: LOL that's good...why of course not. Nothing could be cuter than your kitties. Well I think I'm about to grant both of your wishes. _

_Well onward ho then! And I'm not going to start thinking about...you know who. Robin: Wonderful, now can we get on with it already? Dusty: Gee somebody's a bit grumpy. Why the rush? Didn't think you liked it... Robin: I never said I didn't like it. Dusty: I see. Shut up and read!

* * *

_

Raven made her way hastily down the staircase, frowning as she saw that the office light was on. Really, it wasn't a problem for Timmy to be down there...just as long as filing cabinets and paperweights was all he saw.

Stepping into the well-lit room, she spotted him at a glance...and her frown instantly deepened. He was ghostly pale, eyes wide and tiny chest heaving as though he had just run a marathon. As he locked eyes with her, his face grew even whiter, and he backed up slightly, watching her with unmistakable uncertainty and fear.

_"Oh crap. He found it." _Raven's mind raced, wondering how on Earth she was going to explain this. But first, she wanted to know something. "What's the matter, Timmy? You look like you just saw a ghost."

Timothy licked his lips, eyes darting toward the door just over her shoulder, small hands clenched nervously. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a quiet squeak made it past his lips.

Raven was just about to coax him a little further when a cry from upstairs silenced her.

"Raven! Timmy! Where are you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. Richard was home? His workday wasn't even over yet, much less patrol...she couldn't remember the last time he came home this early.

Judging from the look on his face, Timmy was surprised too...but in a completely different way. He shrank back against the bookcase, gazing at Raven as though wondering if she was going to make him go upstairs. Raven opened her mouth to speak to him once again, and was, once again, interrupted.

"Rae?" There was a slightly worried tone in his voice now.

"We're coming!" Raven gave Timmy a worried stare as she gently took his hand and led him up the stairs. He knew better than to try and resist...that would get him picked up and carried--oh shame of shames. But he did hang back a little, making it clear that the last thing he wanted to do right now was talk to his father.

"There you are!" Richard smiled as Raven and Timmy came around the corner. Turning his attention to the boy, his grin widened, one hand held secretively behind his back. "I have a surprise for you, squirt."

He didn't seem to notice the look his son was giving him...and maybe that was a good thing, as it was anything but heartwarming. Raven glanced nervously from Timmy to Richard, wondering if there would be anything left to pick up after this bomb hit zero.

Looking extremely pleased with himself, Richard slowly displayed his hidden hand and its tiny passenger, eyes twinkling in anticipation of Timmy's reaction. He expected giggles, hugs, hyper thank yous...at the very least a smile. Boy was he in for a surprise.

As Timmy stared at the tiny kitten, and the tiny kitten stared back at him, something inside him snapped. He felt anger, boiling fury, agonizing betrayal...but of course he had no fancy words to give to the horrible emotions coursing through his young mind. When such a thing happens, a child generally does one of the following: scream, cry, or break something. But then, Timmy wasn't what you would call the average child. Maybe it was the overachiever in his blood...but he did all three.

A large and very expensive vase shattered into a thousand pieces, scaring a scream of surprise and ill-contained emotion out of the small child as he shook from head to toe, fists clenched and biting his lip hard. To his horror, he saw a long cut on his Papa's cheek, a trickle of blood oozing down his stunned face..._he hurt Papa._ Then the tears came, burning and prickling behind his eyes as a lump rose in his throat...he _hated_ crying, and yet here he was doing it, completely unable to stop himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks as a sob shook his small frame and his father's eyes burned into him.

And then he ran, socks slipping on the wood flooring in the hallway outside his room and almost sending him crashing to the floor. Sobbing and blinking away tears, he shut the door behind him and forced himself into the smallest space that would hold him: beneath the bottom shelf in the closet. His mind should have been racing right now, with everything that had happened...but instead it was blank, blank and empty as he sat in the dark and cried, _really_ cried, for the first time in years.

* * *

Richard blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. He didn't even notice as the kitten clawed its way up his arm in panic, its tiny ears ringing from the shattering of the vase. He just stared down the hall that Timmy had so recently disappeared from, mouth slightly open and eyes wide.

Raven sighed, gently unhooking the kitten's claws and stroking it, whispering words of comfort into its mind until the high-pitched meowing ceased and its tiny body relaxed against her. Turning to Richard she said, in that monotone that clearly showed she was upset, "He was down in your office. He found it."

Richard turned slowly, eyes blank as his mind struggled to comprehend...then it hit him like a freight train. "No...you mean...? And now he thinks..." He cursed, slamming a fist into the wall. "Can this day get a little worse, please, because I just don't think I've had enough!"

Raven frowned deeply as the kitten squirmed in fright. She was picking up on his emotions...more like being clobbered with them, and from the looks of things, he was on the verge of a meltdown. A stream of words and phrases rushed through her mind as she brushed his, one in particular practically screaming at her. His heartbeat was hammering wildy against the inside of her skull as he continued to shout nonsense...he needed to calm down, for his own health. "Richard, listen to me." When that failed to get his attention, she levitated until they were eye-to-eye and placed a hand firmly on each of his shoulders. "Robin!"

The nickname caught his attention, and he ceased his hysterical yelling long enough to realize she was trying to talk to him.

"Regardless of what happened, which you _will_ explain later, everything is going to be fine. Whatever it is, we'll work it out. And Timmy will understand, because he loves you. Breathe, relax, let it go for a minute. Ok?" Raven's voice was level and soothing, perfected after long years of dealing with panic attacks, undoubtedly brought on by stress. To her relief, some of the tension was slowly leaving his body, his mind was growing calmer, and his heartbeat had slowed to a more regular rate. All good signs. "Now, let's go sit down, and we can talk about this, ok?"

Richard took a deep breath, letting it whistle slowly through his teeth. Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he nodded slowly and let Raven guide him into the living room. After a few more deep, calming breaths, he told her all about the meeting and Norman's threat, and then, rather hesitantly, explained about the arrest warrant for Nightwing. Face hard and voice forcably calm, he added, "The article said there's talk of giving..._him_ the death sentence."

Raven nodded; she had run into that phrase several times while he was yelling and she was probing his mind. Absentmindedly stroking the kitten, which had fallen asleep in her lap, she knew what had to be said and dreaded how he would react to it. "Dick, you know what this means, don't you?" When he didn't respond, she sighed and tried again. "You have to give it up. There's no other way."

"I can't do that."

Raven withdrew slightly, eyes wide and shocked at how harsh and furious he sounded. Quickly hiding her hurt, she pressed on. "Why not? I did. Star and Speedy did. Even Gar and Terra did! Why can't you?"

He was silent, glaring down at his hands. Raven could feel it; he was completely withdrawn, and everything she said from here on out would have absolutely no effect. She tried anyway, however.

"They are not joking anymore, Richard! The law doesn't just ignore a murder! If they catch you..." She faltered, choking on the words as the thought made her stomach heave.

"I didn't kill those men!" he shouted, springing from the couch and glaring fiercely.

Raven believed him (there was no lie in his eyes), but things just weren't stacking up here. "Then who did? And why did they have your weapons?"

"I don't know!" His anger died away, and Raven saw something in his eyes that made her ache inside. _Fear_. "I don't know, Rae. I dont know."

A deathly silence hung in the air between them. There was nothing to say. Richard wouldn't give up Nightwing no matter what the police threatened, and Raven knew that all too well. Fear was thick around _both _of them, bringing a shiver despite the warm summer air.

Raven finally broke the silence, remembering what happened with their son as her eyes fell on the cut across his cheek. "I was beginning to wonder..."

Richard stared at her questioningly.

"His powers. I was beginning to wonder when they'd show themselves. But I suppose it makes sense. He's only a quarter demon, they're not as strong as mine." Raven stared down at the kitten thoughtfully, its white paws reminding her of the way Timmy's eyes had glowed for that one moment.

"Great, so I'm the one that managed to drag them out of him. There's something to be proud of." Richard shifted restlessly, preparing himself for something that would be both painful and challenging. "I should...go talk to him, explain, before his imagination runs away with him."

Strange...how prophetic that simple sentence would prove to be.

* * *

_Well there you have it. Yes Timmy has powers, but they aren't as strong or easily triggered as Raven's. I mentioned something about Star and Speedy (what on earth is his real name? Tell me if you know...I knew it at one point but I forgot.) and Gar and Terra...so yes they're together...you should hear more about them later. Review, my pretties! -Dusty_


	6. Twilight

_Yeah...this update is a long time coming. Redemption, The Reason, and SC:S kept me occupied, not to mention starting an actual book and reading the awesome story Eragon. So yes, I've been busy. I just can't seem to go with the idea of having one, I say, ONE story...it's always got to be a million. Catalyst will not be started until this story is finished, sorry to those folks that don't like this story that much. It's just the way it's gonna be. Oh, and it seems I got a resounding Roy Harper...I knew it was r something...thanks. _

_Tinkerbell: I have no idea, honestly. It never does it to anyone else. The new Batman is fantastic. LOL sounds good. Ok, if he rejects it, I'll make sure he gives it to you. Thanks...suppose I just have good taste in music. Yes it does, so does Cold by Crossfade. Oh, cool. I've never heard that song. They are really cool -grins smugly- and salmon is tasty. It does. No idea whatsoever. Yes, he is. He's a lot hotter without the long hair. LOL we'll see. You are one perserverant person...I thank you for going through so much pain for my story. _

_Raven's Rage: Yeah...I figured I wouldn't worry about Star's. She can just have a nickname. Thanks._

_Raven of the Night676: Yeah...thanks. :) Yup, it was meant as a shocker. -shrug- Tweechie zone. That's good, I'm glad you like it._

_CelticHeiressFiona: Thanks._

_jambey: Ok...I'm surprised you like it, I mean, I thought it wasn't your thing? -sniggle- Little pay-back for that "romance is for the weakminded" comment. Yes, something is definitely cooking up...or maybe boiling over. Yeah, that's why I put that in there...just to clarify, make sure everybody understood. I thought so too._

_dork1: Thanks._

_Amber Myst: Yes, now you know. LOL yup. Sorry, it's already promised to VerticallyxChallenged...but I think he'll come around, eventually. Thanks!_

_Aeris-Raven: Wow, thanks...and I won't make you wait forever. Hmm...I think you might be in for a surprise. On that part...you'll just have to see. Thanks!_

_Darkofthenight: Thanks!_

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Yes, it did cover quite a bit of ground, didn't it? Hmm... Thanks!_

_Mina: Yes, that was a bit of a bummer. LOL as does mine. Sadly, you now know that that isn't going to happen...at least, not right now. I appreciate the fact that you've never pressured me to write...it makes it a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. I mean, writing would be no fun if you HAD to write. Not really random at all. Good, because I usually try to show each character's feelings simultaneously...I don't want somebody thinking Richard's a jerk, or thinking that Timmy's a brat...I go for inspiring empathy for both sides. Well, I'm better now...my throat's still weird, but other than that, I'm good. LOL no problem, big reviews are the best kind. Well...unless their bad reviews lol. Yeah, that was my reasoning. :) I liked that part too._

_Umbro Draco: LOL yes, indeed. That bit about Cy should be revealed later, but don't get caught up in it because it will distract you from what's really going on...er...darn, I'm giving hints again. -shrug- Oh well, I'm sure you'll figure it all out anyway. LOL you're like a kid at Christmas. Yes, he thinks Nightwing is a murderer...and his dad is Nightwing. So, by the transitive property, his dad's a murderer. LOL for it being late, you're doing pretty good at thinking...not that you're necessarily thinking the right things. Congrats for the effort, tho. LOL yes, I think that might be the paranoia talking, cuz I don't feel in the least bit upset at you. Actually, they've been getting longer each chapter...until this one, which is shorter. It's possible, and you don't sound like an idiot. Dude, whenever you trash yourself...picture what Robin looked like in Haunted and ask yourself if you really want to keep beating yourself. Imagine your poor subconscious looking like that...and don't abuse yourself, it's not nice. You don't want to be like Slade, now do you? LOL thanks for the review._

_Alley Cat: Yeah...I caught that._

_Kitsune6: LOL I had no idea either. Yes, sir...er ma'am...sir? Ma'am?_

_AlyRaven: Yup. Thanks._

_TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: LOL nope, not quite. No kidding...he's just...ugh, don't want to go into a stupor again, but he's lovely. Nope, not fun at all._

_They Call Me Sweetsnow: Thanks!_

_strwbrrydaquiri: Thanks!_

_Child of a Pineapple: LOL thanks... Timmy: See, I told you they thought I was cool. -grins- Dusty: Ugh...only five and he's already got an inflated ego. Raven: Finally, someone who agrees with me. Richard: Hey, I can handle myself! (?): Perhaps...but not for long. Dusty: Ok, could you all just SHUT UP! -silence- Thank you! LOL I feel the same, but...I figured I'd give her somebody. _

_CWAC: Yeah..._

_im in a kill people mood: Yup, so I'm told. Actually, if he did more often, he might get in less trouble. Yup, he does. Oh, ok lol. Shiny. Yup, one big pile of crap._

_superman35405: LOL no problem, don't sweat it. Yes, it will...so I'm going to finish this first. Sorry it took so long._

_Peppermint Sticks: -sigh- Unfounded accusations...Sad when somebody uses your story to tell you off about something unrelated._

_Mystyre: I just put her with someone, I wasn't that fussed about who. LOL yup, aren't we all. Timmy: -grins- Dusty: Anymore compliments and he just might float away on that inflated head of his...-ruffles hair affectionately- Timmy: -scowls- Gee, don't mess up the hair. Dusty: So sorry. Yes, he is. Comic relief...and it was Richard's attempt at a quick fix...plus I mentioned that Timmy wanted a kitten in the first chap. For being so eager, I haven't seen you around The Reason...-sigh- This story must be finished before I start it, and that's final! Thanks, tho._

_GDeacur: Now that she's back in the atmosphere with drops of Jupiter in her hair...Uh...-cough- Sorry, I zoned for a sec. No prob, we all have lives...well...most of us. Thanks...it might be changing a little in nature, but I'll keep the same feel to it...glad you can appreciate, as jambey calls them, "married with kids" fics. Thanks! And Progeny...-twitch- I'm still thinking on that. Food for thought, for sure. _

_Child of Blood: Yes, poor kid indeed. Much thanks._

_OK, now we're getting on with the bloomin' story! Timmy, would you do the honors? Timmy: SHUT UP AND READ! Raven: Gee thanks, Dusty. Turn him into a potty-mouth why don't you? Timmy: -giggles-

* * *

_

Richard stumbled slightly, stifling a yawn as he made his way down the hallway to Timmy's room. It was all he could do not to groan at the thought of the conversation ahead. It would be straining, painful, difficult...how could he explain? Would Timmy even believe him? ...Why did he have to find the stupid thing in the first place? Hadn't he disguised it well enough?

Obviously not. He shook his head in shame and bewilderment. Outwitted by a five-year-old! In the end, it really came down to what he expected of the kid...and honestly, that wasn't much. You had to know a bit about a person before you could start predicting their next move.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he knocked lightly on the door. "Timmy?"

There was no response...in fact, there was absolutely no sound within the room. Thinking the boy had fallen asleep, Richard turned the handle...only to find it locked. That twanged sharply off him; Timmy never locked his door. Frowning slightly, he fished a keyring from his pocket. One key fit most of the doorknobs in the house, the exception being the ones that needed...extra protection. The lock clicked back, and the door swung inward, revealing a room lit with the eerie glow of twilight, the sun's dying rays not making it past the window.

It was hard to believe that Richard hadn't known Timmy's favorite color. The room was almost entirely decorated in blue, from the carpet to the bedspread, in varying shades and patterns. There were several bookshelves, loaded with picture frames, trinkets, and books of course. All fairly normal for a little boy's room...but one thing stuck out like a sore thumb. A bright red teddy bear, looking as though it had escaped WWII by the fuzz of its nose, was propped against the light blue pillows, a weary look on its mashed and matted face. Richard vaguely recognized it as a gift he had given Timmy on...one of his birthday's, probably the first judging by its unstable condition. It wasn't like the kid didn't have birthdays, but that bear was one of the few presents his father had picked out himself. If the horrible clashing and utter lack of companions was any clue, the bear was a perfect example of Richard's extensive knowledge as to his son's likes and dislikes. However, in all fairness to Mr. Grayson, the bear looked anything but rejected. Knowing that it was from Papa was enough to endear it to the little boy.

A strong sense of guilt made him swallow uncomfortably, as he stepped into the room in search of its owner, one hand flicking the light switch. A peek under the bed and in the dark closet later, Richard came up empty-handed. Timmy wasn't in here.

* * *

The sun was low on the horizen, streaking the evening sky with red-orange light and setting fire to the blank windows and perfectly shiny cars of each identical house. This place had always reminded Timmy of some giant's garden, buildings planted in neat little rows with intersecting ditches for irregation. That made humans the ants, small and oblivious as they marched to and fro, all the while being observed by the Master of the Garden. Someday soon, the Master would get tired of their bothersome presence, and exterminate them all with some foul and deadly wave of Human-Spray, leaving the houses to grow in peace.

Yes, he was disturbed...and he knew it. It didn't take many trips to the school psychologist for him to figure that out. After hard and numerous lessons, Timmy learned to keep his thoughts in his head, except when it came to his mom; he could tell her anything. And his dad, well...he never held still long enough.

Bitter tears stung his eyes again, though he did his best to suppress them. His nose was already stuffed and running (never a good combination), his cheeks were raw, and his eyes stung from continuous crying: All things that reminded him why he didn't do it. Crying was one of the most un-fun things in the universe, right up there with finding out that your dad was a masked murderer.

Coming to an abrupt hault about a block from his house, Timmy turned around and looked back, twilight casting an eerie glow on the neighborhood as leaves rustled and an old tire swing creeked, twisting back and forth in the breeze, as though the ghost of some tortured kid was enjoying the childhood they were never allowed to have...or waiting to take away someone else's. The thought chilled his blood.

For the first time since he left home, Timmy was afraid. Trying not to breathe too loudly, for fear of attracting the ghost's attention, eyes wide and heart thumping, he inched backwards, sitting down on the curb and drawing his knees up to his chest, small fists gripping his ankles. It was a formation he had learned in school, on Criminal Awareness Day. The idea was to make yourself as tiny as possible, therefore becoming a smaller target and increasingly difficult to spot. It made him feel a little better, but not much.

The sky grew steadily darker, the shadows lengthened...what was worse? Staying out here in the dark, empty (he hoped) streets, or going home and letting..._Nightwing_ corner him?

_Maybe it's not true...maybe there was a mistake...maybe-- _The hopeful thoughts cut off abruptly as Timmy shook his head, eyes firmly closed in an I-can't-see-them-therefore-they-can't-see-me attitude. There was just too much evidence...his father was Nightwing, and Nightwing was the vicious criminal that his school had been warned about countless times. He felt like he was stuck in one of those cheep horror stories..."Goosebumps: The Secret in the Basement"...no, that sounded more like a Nancy Drew title...

He sighed, knowing that his brain was just throwing up stupid thoughts to keep him from thinking about what was really important. A bad memory cropped up out of the blue, with the horrendous timing that is characteristic of bad memories. About a month ago, he had sneaked behind the couch when his mom thought he was in bed to watch her late-night-movie-marathon. What Lies Beneath was the first (and last, as it happened)...he shivered as he remembered how the man had drugged the woman, leaving her to slowly drown in the full bathtub. Eventually, he got so scared that he revealed himself, crawled onto the couch, and let his mom hug him for the next hour. After that experience, he never attempted to join his mother's movie marathons again.

_Has Dad done things like that? Would Dad do that to Mom? ...To me? _Timmy's stomach lurched, giving him the overwhelming desire to throw up. _No! Papa wouldn't...Papa would never..._

Silent tears streamed down his red cheeks as he rocked gently back and forth on the curb, so lost, so afraid...He didn't know what to do or where to go. Nowhere felt safe anymore.

...And that's when he heard it, the voice whispering just a notch above the whistling of the wind...

"My dear boy, why are you crying?"

* * *

"Raven! RAVEN!"

What should he do? Call the police? Call Bruce? Look for Timmy himself? But what if he came home and left again because no one was here? How could he have let this happen? What kind of father let their child run aw..._disappear_ right out from under their nose?

A sucky one. The suckiest father in the world.

Panic making his mind a blurred whirl, Richard searched franticly through the entire house, shouting Raven's name and hoping against hope that he would find Timmy in one of the rooms. How could he have been such an idiot? So blind? So stupid? Timmy was out there alone in the dark, cold, afraid...hurt? A lump the size of a baseball cut off his breath and choked him as his eyes began to burn. _Stupid...idiot...blind..._

"Raven!" There was only the living room left to search now...and Timmy had yet to be found. Five! He was five years old! A five year old couldn't survive in the city and night...he _knew_ exactly what kind of scum crept around Jump when darkness fell...and he _knew_ what they were capable of. _No! Please, no! _He shoved the living room door open, stumbling inside...

Richard stopped mid-curse as his eyes took in the sight before his brain could comprehend. Raven was collapsed on the blood-stained carpet, a large bruise forming on her forehead, not quite covered by her purple locks. Her hands and feet were bound, a rag that he recognized as theirs stuffed roughly in her mouth. She was completely still, the rise and fall of her chest slow and slight.

"Rae..." he croaked, still not believing what he was seeing. Forcing his legs to move, Richard leapt forward, brain racing in an attempt to understand. Someone broke in...but wh--

And then it hit him.

...In more ways than one.

* * *

_Yeah, it's a little shorter...but I think it accomplished a lot. The next update should come sooner. -Dusty _


	7. All The Best Deceptions

_Hello all. I think this was a shorter wait...Anyway, I'm hoping to finish this before school starts, so cheer me on! Can anyone tell me why we don't get to respond to reviews? Superman35405 asked about the book I'm writing...I don't know what the title is, and I'm hopeful that you'll be able to read it some day...it's still prewriting right now. Oh, and I sincerely apologize to jambey for being offensive. Timmy appreciates your concern, Child of a Pineapple, but he says your closet smells funny. Ok, on with the friggin story!

* * *

_

Timmy jerked his head up with a gasp, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. The voice seemed unexplainably familiar, and that fact in itself sent chills down his spine.

"Don't be frightened. I won't harm you."

The man crouched down on his haunches beside Timmy, smiling gently. He was heavy built yet graceful, dressed in casual clothes of dark colors. His head was bald, though he didn't look old enough for it to be anything but choice. A single, oddly piercing gray eye shone in the darkness, while the other socket was covered by a black eyepatch. Judging from his bulging arm muscles and disciplined air, Timmy didn't doubt that he had served a fair amount of time in the Army.

"Clever, for such a small child."

Timmy's violet eyes widened in alarm. He was getting the distinct and impossible impression that that this man could read his thoughts, and it was making him increasingly uneasy.

The stranger slipped his hand into his pocket, fingering something deep within it with an unreadable expression on his face. "But then, what would one expect, from a child with your parentage."

Timmy's eyes grew wider still as he at last found his tongue. "Y-you know my parents?"

"Why, of course. Everyone in Jump City knows your parents, dear child."

Timmy frowned, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Well, I suppose, because of Papa's company, but--"

The man scoffed. "His dying business? My dear boy, have they told you nothing of the truth?"

The boy turned away, burying his face in his arms and mumbling. "They don't tell me anything anymore."

"Perhaps not. But there is a way for you to get your answers. There are those that know the truth, those who will not hide it from you as your parents have done." He gently tilted the boy's head up, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "Come with me, and I will show them to you."

Timmy instantly jerked back, a fearful look in his eyes. He was a paranoid little kid, having a habit of watching the news for warnings of escaped criminals, and he had seen enough kidnapping cases to make him instantly wary. A stranger popping out of nowhere that somehow knew his parents and wanted to take him away. Only a complete idiot would fall for that one. "No thanks," he said stiffly, "my dad expected me home ten minutes ago. If I don't hurry he's going to be..._worried_." He stressed the final word delicately, a steely defiance gleaming in his eyes as he stood and made to leave. Better to face Nightwing than the kind of thugs he killed.

The man remained crouched on the curb, twirling a dead leaf idly in his fingers. In a voice as smooth as silk, he plainly stated, "Your father didn't know you were leaving, nor does he know where you are, because you don't want him to."

Timmy's jaw clenched, his skin tingling with fear. The words came out slow and stupid. "Y-you're lying."

The man continued as though he hadn't even heard him. "And you don't want him to know because you don't want him to find you."

"My Papa--"

"And you don't want him to find you because you are afraid of him. It's understandable, my dear boy. Nightwing's violence and cruelty are legend." The words practically rolled off his tongue, as though there was nothing strange about them at all.

Timmy felt as though someone had just punched him in the stomach. "How..." he rasped, "how did you--?"

"He wasn't always this way. There was a time when your father defended justice. I remember it well." He straightened with practiced ease, taking a few steps toward Timmy, slow, as though he was approaching a skittish animal. "If you want to know the truth, want to hear the legacy of the Teen Titans in their days of glory, look no further than what you have in front of you."

Timmy swallowed hard, but the lump was still there. "How do you know about them? Papa's never..." He trailed off there. Just because his father had never mentioned this man didn't mean they didn't have a history. Not anymore.

The man was silent for a moment, apparently considering his answer. When he spoke, his words were blunt, measured, yet stated so naturally. "Because I trained them."

"What...trained? I..." He fell silent, shivering unconsciously in the whistling night wind. "I don't understand..." Tears welled unexpectedly in his eyes, and he sniffed quietly, dragging a sleeve across his face. He was _so_ tired of crying.

A warm, strong hand rested on each of his shoulders, comforting and solid. Hesitantly, he lifted his gaze and was surprised to see a look of sympathy on the man's face. "You're cold," he said simply. "You shouldn't be outside at this time of night." Enveloping Timmy's small hand in his massive fist, he said, "Here, I'll walk you home. I'm sure your parents are looking for you."

Timmy's eyes widened, his mind racing as he came to a conclusion, solid and concrete. "No."

The man stopped in his tracks, a look of surprise on his face.

"I want to go with you. Please don't make me go back there. I..." his lip quivered slightly. "I'm scared of him," he whispered, eyes wide and haunted.

The man hesitated for a moment, casting an uncertain glance in the direction of Timmy's home. However, when the child coughed and sniffed once again, he made up his mind. "Don't worry. You're safe now. You are safe with me."

Timmy nodded, his eyes drooping with exhaustion as the man picked him up and held him protectively. He soon grew drowsy to the steady pace of the man's steps...left, right, left, right, left, right...the world faded away into the peaceful nothing of sleep.

* * *

Richard woke slowly and painfully, his body desperately trying to hold onto the sweet nothing of sleep as the aches of life came flooding back in full force. Just this once, he wanted to stay oblivious, to do what made _him_ feel better, to flush everything and everyone else down the porcelain pee-hole...just for once in his life.

Curses. Doing that was about as easy as tearing off his own arm.

He tried to speak, but all that came out was a muffled groan. It took him a moment to become aware of the rag shoved in his mouth. A coppery taste lingered on his tongue, familiar yet slightly troubling when he didn't know how it had gotten there. If it was merely a split lip, fine, but internal bleeding was bad news.

He dismissed that idea quickly, however, realizing that he didn't feel crappy enough for that to be the case. All the same, his head was aching fit to burst, a fire raging in his skull and forcing water out of his eyes. But what happened? It was all a pained blur, and the more he thought, the more his head pounded. Had he come off worse in a fight? Had he been captured by a gang? Crap, Raven would be going insane with worry!

...Wait...

"Wur-un!" Frustrated, he tried to spit out the rag, jerking his arms and legs only to find that they were tightly bound and buzzing unpleasantly from lack of circulation. He strained his eyes to see in the darkness, but for all he could tell, there was nothing left in the world but black.

She was breathing...he saw her breathing! Just a bruise...just a little bruise. She was ok. She _had_ to be ok!

_She? Oh, of course. Raven._

Richard's eyes widened painfully, his heart thumping as he strained to see the enemy in the darkness. But no, the voice was...inside his head?

A low chuckle sent a thousand shivers running down his spine as horror clenched tightly around his throat. He knew that voice, better than Timmy's, better than Raven's...it was more familiar to him than even his own.

_Raven is not the one you should be worrying about, because she is insignificant. Both of you are completely and utterly worthless._

This shocked him slightly. _What? No blackmailing, no threats to make me do what you say?_ The words were thought, not spoken, but Richard knew they would be heard.

Laughing...always laughing...how he **hated** that laugh! _How adorable, Robin. A decade of experience has failed to teach you that the universe does not revolve around you._

A muffled growl made its way through the cloth as Richard struggled vainly against the bonds, forgetting his pain. _I am NOT Robin!_

_And I am not foolish enough to waste this second chance arguing with you. No, Robin. This time...all I want is revenge._

His blood ran cold as the words echoed cruelly in his mind. And he knew exactly who was in danger from them. _If you touch him... Don't you DARE touch my--_

_I think I've had enough mindless chatter for one day, Robin. Relax, enjoy this while you still can..._

His brain became sluggish, thoughts traveling slowly in the thick swirling sludge...he felt drugged, lethargic...but not many drugs he knew of could act this fast... How...?

Unconsciousness was swift, and Richard knew no more.

* * *

_Ok...I'm really not sure about how I did on this chapter, so let me know what you think, especially you, Mina! I'll update as soon as I can...the next chap should feature Raven. Tootles! -Dusty_


	8. Storytime

_Well, barfing booger beasts, it won't be finished before school. Not even the great Dusty can write 5-7 chapters in 3 days. Ah well, homework didn't stop me last year ;)...but I have made a personal goal to try to be good and leave my notebook at home. Whether it happens or not...well, we'll just have to see. Mina, I practically worship your opinion, and for very good reasons. Yes, cwac, there's a very good chance they will be. Keep in mind, all, that Timmy is not aware of all the horrendous things this man has done. I started writing a book, Mystyre...I put it aside to finish my fics, tho. I'll tell you more later if you want. GDeacur, I think I just might have taken up a challenge you gave for Even In Death. Much thanks and huge congratulations to you, psycicflower, for your perserverance! I read them and enjoyed them, thank you. Timmy says that he loved being under Child of a Pineapple's bed, and that her kittens are cute. Your review was quite encouraging, Wairudo-Man. _

_I didn't respond to reviews! I just answered questions...Anyway, cork it and read!

* * *

_

_Ugh...ow._

Raven took a moment to absorb her surroundings. It was second nature to her to think of things in lists, for example:

Bread  
Milk  
Waffle Crisp  
Play Dough  
Tapioca Pudding  
Antiseptic

or maybe:

Check the arrest column  
Pick up Timmy  
Dry cleaning  
Stop at Miranda's  
Get the mail  
Look for free kittens

Maybe it was just one of those things that come along with family. Anyway, a checklist is exactly what she made now.

Mouth: gagged.  
Hands and feet: bound.  
Environment: cold, dark, and uncomfortable.  
Head: attacked with a sledgehammer

Her mind was a lot clearer than it should have been, considering everything that had happened to it. She could already feel her powers going to work on the baseball-sized lump on her forehead...just one of the many perks of being half-demon. It wouldn't take too much energy to remove the gag and sever the ropes; fortunate, since she didn't have much to spare.

Breathing deeply, she cleared her mind and focused her energy--

_Now, why would you want to do that?_

Realization came in a blinding burst of brain power, the pieces falling into their unpleasant places. She should have recognized the warning signs: nightmares, Nightwing being framed, panic attacks. All undeniable signals, yet still she never expected this. No one ever expects Satan to show up on their doorstep, no matter how many times he's been there before. With each visit, you always hope it was his last.

_Get out of my head._

_I would, if you gave me that option. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't made your...choices._

Raven was angry, but she found that it did not affect her powers. Her mind felt unpleasantly fuzzy in that area. _Where Is He?_

_Which one, Raven? Your pathetic husband, or the love of your life, Timmy?_

Her blood ran cold in the darkness; it had not occurred to her that he would dare involve her son in this idiotic power struggle. Fear surged through her, and once again, her powers failed to react. _What is your grand scheme this time? Blackmail? World domination? Or just plain old revenge?_

_Interesting...you are, at least, more intelligent than your husband. My mission is, quite simply, to make Robin and anyone associated with him pay the utmost for his defiance and ingratitude. That, I'm afraid, includes both you...and your son._

Raven would have snarled if she had access to her mouth. _Ironic, that you should acuse others of being pathetic._

A low chuckle drifted through her mind, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. _You never did know when to shut your mouth and accept defeat, did you, Raven? Mouthing off is unlikely to improve your situation. Who knows? A little manners might even convince me to spare you._

_WHERE IS MY SON? _The words screamed through her mind, fury boiling in her veins...and still, her powers remained dormant.

_Timothy is asleep at the moment, having a very interesting dream...something about his parents betraying him. How very strange...where would he get that idea, I wonder? _His tone was calm, innocently curious...

It only fueled Raven's desire to disembowel him. _You--_

_He seems to be waking up. I apologize, Raven, but we will just have to save this conversation for a later date. Don't worry...you're schedule is free. Blank, in fact._

_You bas...you...y..._

Her mind was growing increasingly fuzzy, and she was finding it difficult to complete her thoughts...or to think at all. She struggled, tried to grasp onto her purpose. She had to do something...she had a plan...

As soon as she remembered it, she could put it into action.

* * *

Timmy yawned, blinking and rubbing his eyes to clear them of the sleepy film. He reached a hand down to pull up the blanket, shivering slightly in the chill... It took him a few minutes of blind groping to realize that it wasn't there. His stomach lurched with that yucky feeling you get when you wake up somewhere strange as he stared with wide eyes at the room around him.

It was sparsely furnished, consisting of the couch he was sitting on, a straight-backed chair, and a small square table. A bowl filled with what he guessed was soup sat in front of the chair. He frowned, trying to remember what events had brought him here.

"Hungry?"

Timmy jumped, jerking his head around to see a man leaning against the door, gray eye fixed on him. He was in a relaxed position, yet his body was so controlled that he looked as though he could write a handbook entitled How To Lean. Timmy nodded uncertainly, rubbing his eye and staring at the man shyly as memory returned. He was beginning to wonder if it was the greatest idea to come...wherever he was with this guy. Well, he would soon find out. This was usually the part where they tied you up or pulled a gun on you.

"Having second thoughts, are we?"

Timmy's violet eyes widened, but he simply nodded again. Maybe this man was just able to deduce things from small details about a person...like Sherlock Holmes.

"A person is only a stranger until you know them. You must have questions for me. Feel free to ask them."

Timmy frowned in thought, biting his lip. He had thousands of questions...but he might as well work up to the big ones with a simple one. "What's your name?"

The man chuckled quietly. "Of course...I didn't introduce myself. Slade Wilson, at your service." He inclined his head slightly, eyebrow raised as he waited for the boy's response.

Timmy pulled a face. "Slade? That's kinda..." he shut his mouth quickly. Somehow, calling this man weird didn't seem like a good idea. "Doesn't it mean valley or something?"

Slade nodded. "Something along those lines. And you are Timothy Allen Grayson, correct?"

"How do you--?"

"I know your father, remember?" He pulled the chair away from the table and sat down, arms folded across his chest. "This is all fascinating, but I thought you wanted to know about serious matters?"

Timmy was slightly taken aback at his condescending tone, so different from the one he had used before. Apparently, Slade Wilson (such a strange name) was the kind of person that liked to get straight to the point. Nodding, he said, "I do," and waited, not sure if he should feel eager or reluctant.

Slade leaned back in his chair, the gray eye never leaving Timmy's face. "Where to start? Thirteen years ago, a boy going by the name of Robin formed a team in Jump City, composed of teenagers with supernatural abilities. The Teen Titans, as they called themselves, were dedicated to justice, to keeping their city free of crime. Their intentions were good, but they lacked...experience. Something that I could give them."

He stroked his chin thoughtfully, tipping back slightly in the chair yet maintaining an almost eerie balance. "Starfire, an alien from the planet Tamaran; Cyborg, a half-robot; Beast Boy, a changeling; Terra, an earth-shifter; Raven, a half-demon. And then there was Robin, their leader."

Timmy's mouth dropped open, and he spluttered in indignation. "What do you mean, a half-de..."

A piercing glance from Slade stole the words from his mouth, leaving him in a stunned silence as the man continued. "It was Robin that attracted my interest, for the simple yet complex fact that he did not possess any special abilities or performance-enhancing mutations. What you saw was exactly what you got: a highly skilled, somewhat obsessive-compulsive teenager. Regardless, he not only led but bettered his teammates in sheer strength. He was also the only one to take the matter of secret identities to the point of wearing a mask at all times, concealing his very soul behind it."

He paused, watching Timmy as though giving him the chance to digest the information or ask for the definition of some word or another.

Timothy had just one problem with what Slade had said. There was no such thing as superheroes. They were just as fanciful as the Easter Bunny.

"Oh, of course. What was I thinking?" Slade smirked, a look of genuine amusement in his eye. "Well then, why don't you explain how you broke the vase?"

Timmy's eyes widened (they seemed to be doing that a lot lately), his mind racing. That was not purely deduction or educated guessing. The only people that could possibly know about that were himself, his mom, and his dad. Slade would have to have some of those nonexistant superpowers for it to be even remotely possible...which was completely ridiculous. And then, of course, there was Slade's question to consider... His mind balked every time he tried.

"I'll explain everything if you will let me," droned Slade, a hint of exasperation escaping in his tone.

Timmy scowled, very close to pouting. Last time he checked, thinking didn't count as an interruption.

If Slade heard that unspoken comment, he chose not to acknowledge it. "I soon realized that Robin had...questionable motives, when it came to serving justice. While the others did only what they had to, Robin did all that he could get away with...sometimes more. While his friends were burning up their free time with action flicks and video games, he was eagerly awaiting the next crime. He enjoyed it...far too much for his own good." Slade paused, his eye somewhat distant. It was then that Timmy realized what it reminded him of... Ice.

"And then...something completely unexpected happened. I don't think even she could explain how or why, but over time, Raven developed...feelings for him. No doubt she thought she could quench his thirst for revenge and show him a better side of life, a more honorable reason to live. He seemed to return her affections.

"They were married, and slowly, the Teen Titans ceased to exist. The aging heroes were now doing their best to settle into a life of obscurity. All except Robin."

Realization was dawning...and Timmy didn't like it at all.

"A wife, a child, and a struggling company were not enough to convince him to renounce the old ways. Rather, he destroyed them.

"Now that he was free of the accountability that comes along with leading a team, he could do things the way he had always wanted to. His true self was unleashed. Nightwing did not shrink away from murder as Robin had. His blows were not measured and restrained. Richard told himself that he was a hero...but in truth, the makings of a criminal were inside him all along."

Timmy was shivering unconsciously, a bone-deep cold settling over him as the words forced him to see what he had so desperately tried to deny. Slade, however, seemed oblivious to his plight, unaware that the very foundations of everything he had believed to be right and true were crashing down around him as the voice raced through him like wildfire.

"All he needed was a little...motivation."

* * *

_Um...I know this was kinda boring, but he had to explain everything at some point. Their discussion will continue in the next chapter...I'm not just wandering around aimlessly, I promise! There is a point to all of this! I kinda made a revelation...though I think just about everybody was already aware. -shrug- I prefer not to say things right out, whether you already know them or not. Sorry the part with Raven was a bit short, but...right now, Timmy is where the story is. A humongous thanks to **Furubafun24** for all her help on this story! -Dusty_


	9. Deep Water

_Um…nope not dead. Catalyst distracted me, school killed me, writer's block prevented me…well the point is it's here now, and I plan on finishing this story. Just stay with me…Time limits don't allow me to answer all, sorry._

_Mystyre: Um…yeah…except I got discouraged for one good reason. It sucks. Why not? Timmy doesn't know his name…it means nothing to him. Hmm…we'll see._

_Iris Night: Not very well and you can bet your bottom dollar. Thanks!_

_Child of a Pineapple: Lol if that's meant to be a punishment…it's not. Good, I hoped that would get a laugh or two._

_Dante Tigerwolf: Hmm…good possibility._

_CWAC: You shall just have to wait and see._

_Child of Blood: LOL I'm afraid I know from experience that he has crotch armor…your foot is the only thing that will hurt. Nice image tho, made my day, that did._

_Mina: LOL isn't it though? Bathhouse, say bathhouse! Lol. Yeah I wanted that one to push some buttons…why thank you:D Your help is absolutely awesome though, thanks always._

_Psychicflower: No prob, which quotes did you want to use? LOL that's a distinct possibility._

_Jambey: Yes, yes it is. You're about to find out. I thought it needed a laugh or two. HA! School gets in the way of breathing properly._

_GDeacur: Yes, yes you will. Sorry it took so long to update…school. LOL thanks…I have fun putting myself in the different characters' perspectives. Sounds good, I'm always up for one._

_Umbro Draco: Um…yes. Wow my brain just went blank. Thank you for um…for your time…-rubs head-

* * *

_

Richard's eyes widened in disbelief. "Timmy?"

The little boy stood barely two feet away from him, looking completely safe and unharmed. He could hardly believe it…he had been so worried. "Timmy!" Richard reached out to him—

"Don't touch me. I hate you."

He recoiled as though struck across the face, his eyes wide and disbelieving. "Squirt…what's—"

"What's my favorite color, _Dad_?" The last word was almost venomous; coming from his Timmy's mouth made it a thousand times worse.

"I…I…" He knew this! He did! Richard's eyes began to burn. Why didn't he know this?

Timmy's young face grew hard, his violet eyes narrowed. "What do I want to be when I grow up?"

He choked, violent tremors running through him and weakening his knees. "Timmy…"

"Just as I thought. You don't know anything about me. You're just a selfish, obsessed businessman who's more interested in money than his own family. You're not a good dad, Richard. You're a horrible father, and I hate you."

The tears broke free, a horrible emptiness ripping at his stomach as he sank to his knees and sobbed, all of his desperately denied fears hitting him in the face at once. Timmy's cold gaze burned him up inside.

"I hate you."

The tears came harder now, hopelessness weighing on his mind and his body as he truly realized what he had done for the first time. "I'm sorry!" he choked, gripping his head in an attempt to rid himself of this horrible bleeding. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"You're a bad father."

Richard's eyes closed, but he could still see the look on his son's face; one of disgust and loathing, as though he were looking at something completely repulsive.

"Bad father…" Salt rivers streamed down his cheeks. "I'm a bad father…" _I'm sorry--__This is a bad dream…Wake up! Just let me wake up…_

_You will never wake up, Robin. Never._

* * *

"Robin?"

Raven's stomach dropped as she saw him, hunched up against the wall, breathing erratic and head dropped on his chest. His colorful uniform was ripped in several places, the trademark _R_ completely missing. Her eyes grew wide as horror gripped her chest. "Robin? Robin!"

He groaned quietly, the sound stabbing straight to her heart as he struggled to lift his head. "Raven…Raven, he…help me…p-please help me…"

Raven choked, suddenly conscious of the lump in her throat. Her feet lifted off the ground as she focused her energy on reaching Robin—

"Mama!"

Raven froze, her pupils dilating in terror as the shout pierced her consciousness. "Timmy," she whispered, turning away from Robin—

A heart-wrenching gasp filled her ears, and her attention jerked back to the Boy Wonder. A violent coughing fit seized him, bending his tired body in two as blood began to drip down his chin and out into the black abyss.

Raven's stomach turned, Timmy almost forgotten as she started towards the wounded Robin once again—

"Mama! Help me!"

The shriek was piercing and filled with terror, a slight tremor distorting the words. Raven whipped around to see Timmy on the floor, digging his fingernails vainly into the concrete as something dragged him ever backward, a yellow-clawed fist clenched around his ankle as though about to snap it.

"R-Raven…" The coughing shook his whole body as his face drained of all color, the blood painfully obvious in contrast. His breathing was a death rattle, stolen in between coughs. "R-Rae—"

"Mommy!" Timmy was fast disappearing into the shadows, four red eyes glaring cruelly at her from the darkness.

Robin struggled to lift his hand, the glove shredded to reveal deep bleeding gashes. He could no longer speak; the violence of the coughing was slowly conquering his weakened body as blood came faster from the inside. He was fading…

Tears streamed down Raven's face as her eyes darted helplessly from her love to the child she had given a part of herself to create. She could have sworn that her heart was being slowly ripped apart inside her…how could she possibly choose?

Robin's hand fell, the fingers scrabbling helplessly at the ground as instinct curled his body into a ball, his breaths short and far apart. _Raven…help me…I can't do it alone… Help…_

Timmy's eyes were wide with horror as they began to fade from her view, a spine-tingling chuckle striking fear in Raven's heart. _Mama…don't let him take me, please! HELP!_

A sob shook Raven from her head to her toes as she looked at Robin for the last time. "I'm sorry…"

Almost blinded by tears, Raven whirled to face Timmy, urging herself onward—

Timmy was gone. No trace of him remained.

Everything seemed to slow down, including her heart, as Raven turned in search of her love, small and weak Hope shivering with Fear as Dread towered over her.

Robin's body was motionless. His heart was cold. He was gone.

Raven's knees hit the ground, her fingers tangled in her hair as the tears froze in her eyes. Someone was screaming, shrieking as though their heart had shattered within them, wailing with the misery of a lost spirit, yelling with the desperate note of sanity lost… She wanted it to end…_Please, please just let it end…_

_It will never end, Raven. Never._

* * *

The newspaper stand was getting quite a bit of business that day, bundle after bundle flying off the counter. He wasn't surprised, either; it was a hot headline.

**NIGHTWING KIDNAPS CHILD**

**Timothy Allen Grayson, a first-grader from Jump City Elementary, disappeared from his home on the twenty-fifth of May, along with his parents, Richard Grayson (of Grayson Enterprises) and his wife, Raven Roth. Such a tragedy, to the city's great shame, is not unusual in Jump; however, there is one thing that makes this case unique: Nightwing.**

**The infamous criminal we've seen glaring back at us from every store window, the lawbreaker wanted for murder, has struck again. Nightwing has taken an entire family hostage, disappearing without any indication of their whereabouts. **

**The evidence is undeniable. A weapon was found at the scene, unmistakable as one of his: a two-pronged blade small enough to fit in the palm of your hand yet sharp enough to cut through bone. This device is just one of many shocking and deadly weapons he is known to carry.**

**Police are searching with dread in their hearts as they contemplate the fate of this innocent and law-abiding family. We can only hope that they will be returned safe and sound.**

**If you have anyy information concerning Nightwing or the Grayson family, please notify your local police station immediately. DO NOT attempt to apprehend him alone.**

The man frowned down at the photograph heading the article. They were all smiling, but they didn't look truly happy. There was a sadness in their eyes that smudged ink could not hide. He sighed, shaking his shaggy head sadly. Talk about rotten luck. Though he had to give Nightwing some credit; this was the best day of business his newsstand had seen in ten years.

* * *

_Yeah I know it's short but the next chapter is already halfway written. This was kind of one of those "chuck a bunch of little clues into one spot and call it a chapter", but you know how it goes. Next one should be much more interesting. -Dusty_


	10. Hook, Line, and Sinker

_Um…boo! LOL yes, yes it's Halloween. For those of you who entered my challenge, over the next few days I'll be reading and analyzing your stories to select a winner. I'm not sure if I found all the stories, though, so make my life a little easier and leave me a review saying that you wrote the one-shot. The winner will be notified and then they can decide what they want to do to me in the following twenty-four hours._

_Mina: Yeah…it didn't sound too much like your story, did it? I know it's kind of a similar situation… Slade: Foolish girl. Either you are immature or incredibly stupid. Dusty: -bops on the head- BACK, BACK YE DEMON! BACK TO THE TOILET FROM WHENCE YOU CAME! Slade: -hiss- Dusty: Thanks!_

_Iris Night: Slade: Damn yourself, ignorant whelp. Dusty: Shut it, you. Yes, yes torture is my specialty._

_Jambey: In a nightmare? Since when do we get to win in nightmares? Hmm…not quite but something like that. :P Don't use my words against me, dumby-poo-fart. LOL. _

_CWAC: Slade: Not the brightest tool in the shed, I see. Dusty: I said, SHUT IT! I would if I could but I can't so I won't._

_Azn Sister 92: LOL ain't it true? Slade: I quite like the press. What a marvelous instrument of destruction…Dusty: Riiiiiight. _

_Rebel-Aquarius: I know. We should just flush them all down a toilet… No problem, like you said, school's a beast. Yeah, I've always wondered what kind of emotions must be raging through them…I can't even imagine what it would be like (lol well I guess I can, since I wrote it). Thanks, I love your writing too:D_

_Umbro Draco: No it's not you I just kinda blanked out for a sec there. Good, I hoped it would be interesting instead of dull or confusing. I will endeavor not to betray your confidence. :D_

_Raven of the Night676: LIVE, LIVE! Slade: DIE, DIE!_

_Psychicflower: Me too…writer's block is the stuff of horror films. LOL wow…neato. Slade: That's for me to know and you to die ignorant of. Dusty: Shut up, no one's gonna die. Slade: That's what you think… Dusty: -rolls eyes- Thanks!_

_Robins#1fan(you lie! I hold that position!): She was eaten by a rampaging Glorg. Hmm…to kill Robin, or not to kill Robin…that is the question. Goodness you are bored. _

_Child of Blood: Is that good or bad? _

_-clears throat and sings- SO HEERE WE GO, ON WITH THE SHOOOW! _

…_-cough- I could go on but I don't want to kill your poor brain cells._

_

* * *

_

Timmy was vaguely aware of the thumping of his heart, the trembling in his limbs, the burning in his eyes. In that moment, he believed—he _truly_ believed—that his father was a murderer, a cold-hearted killer that had used his mother and abandoned his son. His worst and most secretfears had all been proven true with a handful of words from a stranger. The eye scrutinized him as tear after tear slid down his cheeks, bottom lip captured between his teeth and bitten furiously to keep it from trembling.

"My dear boy, why are you crying?"

He ducked his head, a violently shaking hand reaching up to wipe away the tears as he tried and failed to swallow, instead choking on the lump in his throat. Pains shot through his chest as a dull ache awoke in his head and his very skin began to crawl. He had never felt so unhappy to exist before.

Slade took hold of his chin with a firm but gentle grip, tilting his head upward until his violet eyes met the gray and the eye patch. The man smiled slightly, his other hand resting on Timmy's shoulder to steady the shaking. "All is not lost. Wait. Listen. I will not abandon you. You will always have me to rely on. Do you understand?"

Sniffing slightly as he fought to hold back tears, Timmy let the words roll around in his mind, unexplainable hesitation keeping him from giving the obvious answer. His trust in others, already quite limited, had decreased immensely since his father's betrayal; yet, if he was unwilling to trust in this man, he would be left in the hands of a murderer. As simple as the answer should have been, he still couldn't bring himself to say it. Hoping to gain time to think, he sniffed again and looked at Slade as calmly as he could. "Y-you asked me to listen. I w-will."

For a moment, Slade seemed taken aback by his answer, but he quickly recovered. Releasing the boy and leaning back in his chair, he traced his mouth thoughtfully. Silence reigned for several moments before he spoke again. "I believe you expressed doubt when I stated that your mother was half-demon?"

It wasn't really a question, but Timmy nodded once to confirm that he stood by those feelings now.

Slade steepled his fingers and studied them with detached interest. "Raven is the daughter of Trigon the Terrible, Lord of the Demon Underworld. She was born to Arella Roth on Azarath, an alternate dimension. A prophecy given at the time of her birth brought her to this dimension, and this planet. Driven to help others, she was almost magnetically drawn to the Teen Titans. Her demonic abilities allowed her to keep up with her new friends and, in her mind, overcome her dark past. And yet, she never felt completely welcome among them. Her lineage forbade that."

On any other day, he would have written this man off as insane and dismissed that speech as crazy babble, but with everything else that had happened to him in the past few days, Slade's revelation seemed terrifyingly possible. He unconsciously leaned forward, drinking in the words with a morbid curiosity. He had never heard much at all about his mother's past. Horrid and unbelievable as it was, he couldn't help but show interest.

Slade's eye drifted upward, resting on Timmy's forehead so intensely that the boy had to fight to stop himself from covering it. "Raven struggled daily to control the influence of her father. Her powers acted as a midpoint, a door between her mother and her father; the winning side is reflected by the actions of her abilities. When Trigon was victorious, devastation spread in Raven's wake and destruction fell upon everyone around her. Knowing this, Raven devised methods of suppressing her father's will. For the most part, she was successful…until her sixteenth birthday, the year of the prophecy. Through Raven, Trigon was able to claim dominion over Earth, destroying everything in his path and making every living thing his slave. Complete annihilation was avoided by a mere technicality, and Trigon lives within her still, waiting for an opportunity to return and claim his vengeance on his daughter and the world."

Timmy was speechless, his mind a perfect blank. It couldn't be true, it made no sense! It just _wasn't _possible!

Slade let out a gusty sigh that made Timothy jump, his eye fixed on the ceiling in expression of exasperation. "Children in this day and age are impossible. They think far too much of themselves to be humble enough to be taught. Nothing and no one is more important than them, their thoughts, and their microscopic world."

The boy's eyes were surprised for a moment, but soon enough dormant embers were kindled, a faint glow lighting up the intense purple depths of his eyes. One small, white fist lay clenched on his lap.

"You must think very highly of yourself, Timothy. No one has attempted to hide your intelligence from you. Adults constantly praising you, the jealousy of your peers… However, though your IQ may be unusually high for your age, you are no more_ intelligent_ than a dog." Slade regarded him casually, a smirk on his pale lips as he waited for the reaction.

"Shut up," Timmy whispered, his fists shaking as the knuckles glowed white. He felt as though he was fighting back a raging inferno just in keeping his voice steady.

"Intelligence ins more than knowledge. Intelligence is born of experience, of understanding. An intelligent person is able to interpret the outcome of any choice and any situation they encounter. Knowing this allows them to manipulate the smallest details until the outcome is of their own creation. An intelligent man is capable of ruling the universe. You, _child_, are far from intelligent. You are not even capable of understanding why your father does not love you." The last sentence was delivered with the confidence of a knife to the heart, the calm knowledge that the blow had met its mark.

Timmy's face lost any color, draining until it was as white as paper. His jaw clenched until the veins in his neck protruded, the violet of his eyes losing some of its darkness. He didn't trust himself to speak.

Slade's eye flickered across his face analytically, no emotion whatsoever in his expression. "Yelling at you for the smallest of things, avoiding your company, looking away when speaking to you….all unmistakable signs, my boy. He sees himself in you. Every flaw, every weakness. You are, in his mind, an exact copy of that which he has come to hate the most. To Richard, you are merely an extension of himself, darkness and all. That is why he hates you. You are just like hi—"

"SHUT _UP_!"

The shriek resounded in the small room, the table was cloaked in moving shadow, he felt a heat gather and release, wood shattered—

Suddenly, everything was still again. The silence was unbroken, save for his gasps for air and the wild thumping of his small heart.

The sound of clapping rang in his ears as Slade brought his gloved hands together, a slight smile on his face and a strange look in his eye. "And that, my dear boy, is demonic power."

He was too shocked to put all the pieces together; he wanted someone else to do it for him. "That…that was—?"

"You, yes. It took much more encouragement than I expected…you have remarkable control over your emotions. Yet somehow, once again, I'm not surprised." Slade stroked his chin thoughtfully, leaning back in the chair and paying no mind to the chunks of wood and shattered bowl on the ground around him.

"En—encouragement?" Timmy's eyes widened slightly as he understood. Everything that Slade had just said, all the cruel words…he was _trying _to hurt Timmy—to hurt him enough to make him retaliate. Slade was _testing_ him.

Only one word came to mind. "Why?" he choked, his tone reflecting accusation and shock.

"_Why_?" repeated Slade, his eye opened in surprise. "How else am I going to train you?"

The words echoed in his mind, reverberating again and again as he tried without success to extract their meaning. His tongue moved slowly and stumbled often. "I…I don't…understand."

"Did you never give thought to how your father would be stopped?"

"Wha…stopped? I don't—"

Slade sighed, bringing his chair back to earth with a clunk and fixing Timmy with a serious gaze. It made him squirm in his seat. "I am asking you to join me, as your parents once did. I will teach you everything they know, and under me, you will learn to master your potential and use it to fight against the forces of evil. I can teach you all that I taught your father and more—and, when you are ready…we will bring his reign of fear to an abrupt…close. Together." Slade extended one leather-gloved hand, his mouth drawn into a solemn line, his eye screaming "trustworthy".

Timmy licked his lips and swallowed hard, his violet eyes drifting from the hand to the face. The small boy placed his hand in Slade's, completely ignorant to the gravity of his decision.

"O…ok. Ok."

It was over before it ever began.

* * *

_Mean place to end, isn't it? The next chapter could very well skip a couple stones in the path, so don't be lost. I'm not entirely positive where it's going, however, so it might take longer than this one. Catalyst should be the next in my updating cycle, so watch for that. -Dusty_


	11. Memories

_Hahaha! I'm back! So how are your grandchildren doing, eh? –stand up comedy drum roll thingy- Um…yeah. Thank you for your –twitches- patience –twitches some more-. Well, that's not fair, most of you were patient…-followed by more twitching- coughrobins#1fancough. I had a severe case of writer's block for this story, the kind where you know where you've been, and you know where you're going, but you have no clue how to get from here to there. Hopefully things will go better for me now. Be patient with this chapter…it is important, but I mostly wrote it because I darn well wanted to. –sticks out tongue- So, if you'd just step into my handy-dandy time machine, we'll take a trip back to the beginning…

* * *

_

Richard refused to sit and wait patiently, as several nurses had desperately tried to get him to. Instead, he took up a rapid pacing that spanned the large waiting room and cut a path directly in front of the television. Apparently oblivious to the venomous gazes and crude phrases he was attracting, Richard stared blankly ahead, his large hands balled into fists, one thought running through his mind.

_Please be ok. Please let them be ok._

"Mr. Grayson?"

Richard froze, twin lumps of dread lodged in his throat and stomach as he turned to face the nurse and her clipboard. It was the same one that had forced him out of Raven's room.

Taking the tiny woman by the shoulders, he let out a stream of long-repressed questions. "Where is she? How is she? Is she fine? Is she ok? Is the baby all right? Is—"

The nurse covered his mouth with her hand, smiling reassuringly. Knowing that men are all about getting to the point and worrying about details later, she said, "Your wife is just fine, Mr. Grayson."

He was silent for a moment, the stomach lump migrating upwards to join its twin in his throat. Fighting back tears of relief, he cleared his throat and hastily released the nurse. "Oh."

Swallowing hard and unclenching his fists, he politely asked, "Can I see her?"

The nurse nodded and led him through the automated doors. As though knowing he needed a little guidance at the moment, she kept her hand firmly around his wrist as she took the many twists and turns with ease. "Before you see her, there are a few things I need to explain."

Richard tensed with dread. "Ok…"

"Mrs. Grayson had some trouble delivering her baby. When it became a serious risk to the baby's and her own health, we made the decision to operate and remove the baby that way, rather than putting further stress on either of them."

Richard got the impression that she was using the simplest terms possible, yet he found himself confused and more than a little afraid. "But—you said she was fine!"

"She is, she is," the nurse said hastily, "but she's very tired. Your wife isn't herself right now, so be prepared for that."

Richard swallowed and nodded, attempting to silence his panicked thoughts. Neither spoke as the nursed pulled him onto an elevator and pressed the button labeled _4_. It was then that it struck him how odd it was that the nurse had yet to mention the baby. "Um…miss? Is the baby alright?"

The nurse's face grew solemn as she turned to face him. "I'm afraid he's very small. His vital organs, like his lungs, haven't fully developed. We're doing all we can, but at this point…we just don't know."

The elevator dinged cheerfully as the metal panel slid open, and the nurse led him out and down the hallway at a brisk pace, as though she had said nothing out of the ordinary.

Richard's eyes widened as the twin lumps doubled in size. "W-what do you mean, you don't know?" he choked, his voice shaking though he fought to steady it.

The nurse kept walking and, coincidentally, so did he. "Sir, we're doing the best we ca—"

"Why don't you know?" he yelled, tears escaping his bloodshot eyes as he pulled the nurse to a stop and made her look at him.

She bit her lip, her small green eyes studying his face analytically. After a pause, she said firmly, "We're doing the best we can to take care of your son, Mr. Grayson. Right now, your wife is the one that needs you."

The words hit him in the face like cold water, waking him just as effectively. She was right. Jerking his hands across his eyes and clenching them to stop the shaking, he nodded once and allowed her to lead him on down the white hallway……

_-Dream-_

The room was quite small, having space only for the bed, a sink, and a small chair. Raven's eyes opened sleepily as the door clicked shut. "Hi," she croaked, waving her hand as though it weighed five pounds.

Seeing Raven in this vulnerable state made Richard instantly forget his own fears. He needed to be strong for her. Smiling encouragingly, he approached her bed. "Hello, beautiful."

She scoffed at that, rolling her half-mast eyes. "You shameless liar. How do you live with yourself?"

Richard laughed quietly, sitting down and holding her hand in both of his. "It was tricky at first, but I think I'm getting the hang of it." The smile washed off his face as he stroked her hand with a thumb. "Are you ok?"

She grimaced, then smiled. "Well, I've definitely been better, but yeah. I'm ok." She stifled a yawn with difficulty, then cast a piercing eye over her husband's face. "So, how are you holding up?" It was meant to be sarcastic, but came out genuine as her tired eyes grew sad.

Richard took a long breath and did his best to retrieve the smile. "Oh…I'm good. Though I think I pulled a muscle while pacing in the waiting room." Raven batted his arm reproachfully, letting out a small, wheezy laugh. Silence followed.

Raven yawned again, her eyes drooping with pure exhaustion. "Robin…" she said, voice groggy, "you should go see him…he's beautiful…"

Richard gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I will."

Brushing the sweat-drenched purple locks from her forehead, he kissed it softly. "Get some rest now, ok? I'll be back soon."

Raven nodded her consent, heavy eyelids closing gratefully as Richard shut the door behind him……

_-Dream-_

The room was huge compared to Raven's accommodations. Rows upon rows of little glass chambers covered most of the space, each with a tiny baby inside, various tubes and machines hooked up to its small body. Some could have fit easily in the palm of his hand; others seemed fairly normal. The aura of sadness, pain, and death lingering over the place made him want to turn and run as far away from it as he could…but he didn't. He had promised Raven.

Very close to the long window behind which he stood, a tiny baby with enough wild black hair for all the babies in the room blinked up at the ceiling. Richard didn't have to see the form at the foot of the bed to know this was his little guy.

He was so fragile. His little chest rose and fell so slightly that Richard could hardly tell if he was breathing. He could have easily fit in his papa's cupped hands, and his fist was about the size of the tip of Richard's thumb. As he watched his little baby struggle for each breath, a suffocating horror seized him.

_"And now, The Flying Graysons!"_

_"We're doing all we can, but at this point…we just don't know."_

"Don't you die," he whispered, eyes glazed with unshed tears. "Don't you die too."

Robin placed a hand on the glass, eyes fixed on the beautiful life he had helped to bring into this world. The thought of losing him now was driving a knife through his heart.

"Please don't die."

_—wires were cut, sending Mary and Jonathon Grayson plummeting to their deaths—_

"I…I can't—"

The baby moved weakly, one tiny fist clenching as his brow wrinkled. A silent wail escaped his mouth, all sound blocked out by the glass.

"I can't…can't do this—"

The crying grew stronger as a nurse rushed towards the tiny baby. His clenched fist shook as the nurse shot some clear liquid into his IV. _He could be dying…he's dying… _

Richard stumbled away from the glass, racing down the hall and as far away from the baby as possible. _Never…never again……_

_-Dream-_

"Do you want to hold him, Richard?" Raven offered, stroking the baby's soft hair and smiling gently.

He shook his head, shrugged his shoulders. "No, that's ok. You go ahead."

Raven's brow furrowed as concern crept into her eyes. "Are you sure? You haven't held him at all yet. I really don't mind; he just ate anyway."

Richard stood up from the couch hastily, walking towards the door and out into the hallway. "No. I should be getting ready."

Raven's eyes widened, her voice soft and somewhat stricken. "You're going back to work already?"

"Someone has to. Don't worry, though, you'll have plenty of help. Kori's flyingout tonight; she'll be staying for the next few weeks."

"That's not what I meant," she called after him, but Richard just kept walking……

_-Dream-_

"He has a name you know."

Raven's tone was biting as she lugged the baby chair into the kitchen and set it down on the tiled floor. She hastily scooped the baby up and rocked him gently to stop the crying.

"No, really?" Richard grunted, reaching for his coffee mug and putting the keys on the hook.

"Well, I was just starting to wonder if you were aware, since you never use it," droned Raven, her voice a dangerous monotone.

"So? Do I have to say his name every five seconds to make you happy?" he growled, refusing to meet her eye and instead looking through the cupboards for some unknown item.

"What is your problem?" she demanded, frustration beginning to leak into her voice. "He's your son—"

Richard whirled around, his fists clenched and shaking as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I don't want a son!" he yelled, his voice breaking and choked with emotion.

Ignoring the look of shock and horror on her face, he sidestepped Raven and pushed his way through the door……

_-Dream-_

Richard sobbed even harder, his eyes screwed up against the memories. He could see now, he could see how wrong he had been, he could see the mistakes he had made. Now that it was too late.

"I love you, Timmy. I love you…I'm sorry."

"Well, this explains a lot."

Richard looked up, eyes wide in shock. "Raven?"

_

* * *

_

_Bwahaha! Cliffhanger! Ok, to clarify, all that occurred in Robin's mind, much like how Chapter 9 happened. Don't write this chap off as superfluous, because it actually explains a lot of the reasons why Robin acts like he does towards his son. The end bit will make more sense in chap 12, which should be coming soon. Review please! -Dusty_


	12. Nostalgia

_Ha! Yeah I'm here with an update...it seems a bit pointless to say that school has been insane and at times bloody cruel. I assume you guys have similar problems unless you are fortunate enough to have already graduated. I'm counting the days... Ahem. To robins#ifan (who is probably dead from suspense by now) and psychicflower, a huge thank you! I wish I could reply to your reviews but I can't so...thanks! Ok, turns out the explanation for the last chap will have to wait til the next update...now, lets take a look at how Timmy's doing...

* * *

_

"That's right...feel your anger, let the emotion surge through your veins."

Three weeks...three long impossible weeks since he agreed to a contract he hadn't even fully understood. It quickly became apparent that Slade was not as he had appeared to be. Timmy saw a cold glint in his eye that hadn't been there before, heard a steely note in his voice, felt a coldness all around him, so strong that it brought on shivers. The man's behavoir hadn't necessarily changed, but somehow... Timmy knew that he wasn't at all the way he had seemed.

The now familiar roar of energy burned inside him as anger raged through his mind. Memories jumped to the forefront, hateful memories... He was furious with himself, furious with Slade, furious with his father--

Black energy glowed around his hands as the heat grew too powerful to withold... He shook with the effort to control it.

"You're not trying hard enough! You must feel your rage until it fills every particle. You have to push yourself! you are only half what you're parents were; work harder!"

Sweat beaded on Timmy's forehead as he strained to contain his anger and the energy it released. He was aware of his knees knocking against eachother as his hands balled into fists. Involuntary tears burned his eyes and ran down his cheeks as he waited for Slade's word...

"Release your energy!"

A gasp wrenched itself from him as the heat intensified. An explosion went off in his stomach and spread upward like a forest fire until it surged into his hands and out into the surrounding air.

With the power went his strength, seeping from him as though it had never been their in the first place. His knees stung and ached as they hit the ground, and his palms soon followed. Timmy had never felt so drained before in his short life. He had energy for nothing but painful breaths as his small shoulders shook with sobs. It wasn't supposed to be like this...

Large metal feet came into view through the haze of tears and tangle of black locks. The boy was once again horribly aware of how tall the man was; it felt like standing next to a mountain.

"Good," he commented casually, voice even and unaffected. Timmy felt somewhat relieved for a moment...but the feeling soon died, like a flower crushed under the cruel shoes.

"But not perfect." Slade's voice seemed to grow a little colder with the words, as one glimmering shoe reached out and nudged him slightly, as though poking at something it had found on the sidewalk.

_"Why am I doing this?" _a small angry voice asked from somewhere in his tired mind. _"Why am I letting him boss me around? He can't tell me what to do! He's not my father!"_

The anger grew until it engulfed his mind, slowly pushing exhaustion aside. He felt feverish once again, as heat--no, power--grew in his chest. Small fists began to glow a pitch black...

Laughter echoed around him, starting as a low growl and growing until it bounced off every wall. The cold of it shocked him, putting out the fire as his voilet eyes grew wide. It sounded like something out of a horror movie.

"Amazing," the mountain muttered, words barely making it to Timmy's ears. In his usual tone, Slade gave his next instruction. "I wouldn't suggest any further use of your power until you've had time to recover. Otherwise, you just might kill yourself."

Timmy drew in a sharp breath. Was that true? Could he actually do that, just by using his...gift? Fear gripped him tightly as his chin quivered, teeth chattering. He didn't want to die.

The shoes clicked away as Slade's presence began to fade, like a storm cloud blown to the edges of his conscious.

"Get some rest, Robin." The shoes clicked twice, the door squeaked, then closed with a dull thud. He could feel Slade moving down the hallway.

Timmy's brow furrowed as he concentrated on Slade with the greater part of his mind. He wanted to make sure the man was far away before he let himself relax.

The man's cold presence faded as it drew away from the room, and in his mind Timmy could see that dark cloud slinking through the dark and rambling hallways, turning and twisting, growing fainter by the minute until it simply faded out. Good. He wouldn't be coming back tonight.

Timmy had no energy for sobbing, but silent tears continued to slip down his raw cheeks. His jeans and long-sleeved shirt were wrinkled and stained from the last three weeks of wear. He hated being dirty, the way his skin crawled at the thought of the tiny bacteria hidden in the dirt--his stomach grew squeamish and he tried to push it out of his mind.

Sniffing and wiping his nose with a sleeve, Timmy found a mostly clean spot on his shirt and used it to dab at his scraped knees. He bit his lip as they stung angrily, skin bright pink. Maybe that wasn't the best of ideas.

The small boy sat down on the small bed, his body tired but his mind ready for anything but sleep. He was relieved, however, that Slade's presence was still absent. Timmy shuddered slightly, hugging himself and drawing his toes up onto the bed. He had never felt anyone like Slade. Their had been the warm comforting presence of his mother, the distracted brush of his father, and even the hostile feel of the bullies at school--but never had he encountered someone who was so...empty. Slade was like a negative force; Timmy felt his lack of essence more than anything...or so it seemed. But how could he be a negative when he had a solid form?

Slowly, his body began to fight against his racing mind, until he was pressed against the bed as though he never intended to leave it again. His eyes burned with tiredness and too many tears as he thought about the way Slade had called him "Robin", about the strange and impossible things he could now do, about the possibility of death, about heroes and villains and hero/villains and masks and metal...and finally...

He thought about his family.

Newfound despair pressed him farther into the bed as salt stung his violet eyes. Timmy didn't know how or why this happened, but he knew he wanted to go home. The only thought he could register was that one.

Timmy was really much too old for it, but as he curled himself into the tightest ball possible and tried not to look at the darkness, his thumb crept up and tucked itself into his mouth, hot tears dripping onto it. Thoughts of a lonely red teddy bear swirled in his mind as sleep threatened to take over. He just wanted to go home.

* * *

Bruce sank onto the sofa with a gusty sigh, taking a sip of the amber-colored liquid in his glass and flicking on the television. The newscaster rambled on for a bit about traffic and the incredible capture of yet another gang by the incredible Batman.

Towards the end of the hour, the reporter turned to news from neighboring cities.

_"Jump City is still united in its efforts to locate the Grayson family, missing since May 27th."_

"25th," muttered Bruce.

The reporter looked flustered for a moment before recovering. _"Excuse me, May 25th." _She flicked her platinum blonde hair to regain her confidence. _"The police force is still looking for the owner of Grayson Inc. and his family, wife Raven and four-year-old son."_

"Damn reporters. Can't even get their facts straight." It was more of a gulp this time as weariness of the mind began to set in. Three weeks with nothing...True, it wasn't impossible, but every day that passed made the odds worse. He knew the statistics by heart.

_"...you have any information concerning the Graysons' location, please contact the police department immediately." _Her "solemn" expression vanished, to be instantly replaced by a plastic smile. _"The forecast for tomorrow shows every indication of more summer showers. If you haven't already, I'd pull that umbrella out of your closet, Gotham!" _

Bruce jabbed the power button and tossed the remote away with an agitated sigh. He couldn't shake the feeling that he shoudl be doing something. This was Robin--shouldn't he be rushing to the rescue? Saving his skin just like the old days?

Sadly, he had already tried that. He spent nearly a week in Jump searching the entire city for any hint of their whereabouts, coming up with nothing but deadends. It was as though Richard and Raven Grayson had simply disappeared off the face of the Earth. Defeated, he flew back to Gotham, feeling that much more aware of how poorly the years (or maybe he himself) had treated his body. Aging is inevitable, and the Dark Knight was not lucky enough to do it well. Yet another situation he had to sort out...

_"He has to work this out for himself," _his sensible side reminded. _"He's not a little boy anymore--you can't just race in their every time he gets in trouble. It's not fair to either of you."_

Dropping his head in his hands, Bruce raked the fingers roughly through his graying hair. That didn't mean he couldn't worry.

"Where are you, Squirt?"

* * *

_Heh...um. Well there you have it. Tell me what you think...and yes, Bats is old. We can't stay spry forever, specially if you go and get yourself full of bullets and poison and whatnot. Terri hasn't taken over yet...he ain't that old by any stetch. I'd like to say the next chap will come soon but every time I do I just end up lying so...just know I haven't forgotten you. -Dusty_


	13. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

_Eek, I'm so sorry this has taken so long to put up...the end of the year is drawing near...and it's absolute hell. I have a free moment, however, so I'll give you the new chappie. A huge apology to all readers, and Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, who recently messaged me about this story...thank you so much for your patience.

* * *

_

Richard blinked, not believing his eyes. "Raven? How...why are you--" He stopped, realization crushing down on him. It was just another dream...just another nightmare.

Raven reached for his hand, voice deadly serious. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

Richard jerked away sharply, then dropped his aching head into his hands. "Dammit, Slade, enough...I've had enough, so just...make them stop."

An exasperated sigh escaped the phantom Raven's lips. "You moron, it's me! Get up!" Her voice was strained and blunt in that way that said she was dangerously close to tears. The vision was convincing...but why wouldn't it be? This was Slade's doing, after all. His mind was feeling hazy again...

Raven gripped his arm and shook hard. "Robin! Look at me!"

He resisted, shaking his head, but Raven mook his chin and forced his eyes to meet hers. A breathless scream tore from him as he saw the blood streaming down her face in rivers, ghastly cuts and gashes marring her beautiful face.

"Robin? What is it?"

Blood seeped from a wound in her chest, staining the blue shirt a deep black. Richard screamed, tears slipping down his cheeks as he tried desperately to get away from the sight. Her face followed him, eyes glazed, empty, accusing... She was dead, though the words still poured from her mouth.

"Robin! Listen to me, this isn't real! This is Slade--Fight it! You have to fight it!"

Her face was too horrible to behond now, but he couldn't hide from it--even when he closed his eyes, it was there. "I-I...I can't..."

_You're mine, Robin._

His eyes grew wide as Slade's voice echoed in his head. Sobs shook him to his knees, yet the vision still followed, glued to his eyes. "Raven...help me." Panic rose in his chest, his head ached, the air wouldn't stay in his lungs. "I can't do this alone...help."

_No one can help you now, Robin._

Hands gripped his shoulder, but he barely even felt them. His eyes were clouding over, obscuring everything but the torturous vision as Slade's voice echoed through his head. "Not Robin, no..."

_You killed him, didn't you, Robin?_

"I'M NOT ROBIN!"

_He died for your foolish mistake. You gave the order, Robin. You sent him to his death._

He let out one last choked yell...

And then it all dissolved.

* * *

Timmy woke with a jolt as though someone had dumped a glass of water on his face, and reflexes carried off the bed and onto his feet as he prepared for Slade's attack. It didn't come.

Wide violet eyes scanned the room as he probed outside of it with the mind tentacles, every inch of him feeling for some sign that Slade was near. There was none.

His eyebrows knit together as the headache he had gone to sleep with came back with full force. If Slade hadn't woken him...

Another jolt went through him, and Timmy fell back on the bed as spirals of light twisted their way into his brain. Panic rose painfully in his chest, constricting all air passages and twisting his stomach into a painful knot. Fear...powerful enough to freeze his blood and light every nerve on fire. He was more terrified than he had ever been in his life, and then...

He hated himself more than anyone could possibly put to words.

A strangled yell escaped his lungs, sounding nothing like his own as he tumbled from the bed and hit the floor with a start. The light was gone now, the feelings blown out like the flame of a candle. He was left with only one thought.

"Papa?"

* * *

Raven reentered her body with a jolt, eyes opening to the darkness of the room. Richard's hand was gripped tightly by her own, so much so that it was cutting off his circulation. His eyes were still closed, sunken and surrounded by dark circles, as beads of sweat trickled down his face. She was feeling similar affects, but she knew they were considerably dulled by her abilities. Slade could confuse her thoughts, but he could never reach Nevermore. She had retreated there as soon as she realized that the terrible scenes playing out before her were nothing more than hallucinations. In Nevermore, she had gathered the strength she needed to fight Slade's influence. It had been anything but easy, but she had won, in the end. Raven only hoped that Richard would be able to do the same.

The empath jumped as Richard jerked violently, his face turning a pale shade of green. Panic choked her as she heard once again the haunting words... _"Raven...help me. I can't do this alone...help."_

She lovingly pushed the wet tangle of hair away from his eyes, the hallucination becoming cruelly real in her mind once again. Had it been some twisted game of Slade's, showing her that and then wrenching Robin from her with the very same words? The fact that she had abandoned him, in a dream or not, weighed heavily on her mind.

Raven stroked his hair, her eyes reflecting a world of fear and sorrow. "Come on, Robin. You have to do this...I need you."

* * *

Richard could hardly tell if his eyes were open or not--the darkness was complete, either way. The second he become aware of himself again, he wished desperately that he hadn't. His head, and the rest of him, throbbed, a sickening weakness weighing on every muscle, nausiousness gripping his stomach so tightly that throwing up seemed a heavenly opportunity. He opened his mouth to speak, but found his tongue swollen and his throat drie.

"Robin?"

His eyes snapped completely open as they searched the darkness for the source of the voice. A cool, gentle hand on his cheek led him to her, and his eyes strained to make out her face. "Raven..." he croaked.

Richard pushed himself up on his elbows, disturbed by how difficult it was and how much his arms shook from the effort. One hand went to the back of his head, feeling the impressive lump there. Well, that explained a lot.

Slender arms wrapped tightly around him as Raven's soothing scent drifted to his nostrils. Her hands smoothed over the lump as well, leaving a cool relief in their wake. "Robin...I was so--" Her voice caught, a sob shaking her delicate frame. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

Horrified, Richard gathered her up, holding her tightly against his chest. "I'm alright, Raven." Someting lurked at the back of his head, pushing to get in, but he held it at bay. "I'm ok," he whispered, stroking her hair.

They stayed like that until Raven had stopped shaking and the haze had been lifted from Richard's mind. Everything that he had seen was still very much with him, and as he felt Raven pressed against his body, the guilt began to fade, replaced by an unquenchable desire for action. Voice humble yet determined, Robin said what he should have years ago. "Raven...I've put you through horrible things--"

Raven rushed to quiet him, but Robin touched a finger to her lips. This had to be said.

"To you, and my son. I..." He swallowed hard, eyes burning. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for what I've done..."

Raven watched him, violet eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Robin took a long, shuddering breath.

"But I can show you."

* * *

Timmy fought to catch his breath, eyes wide in his head and staring into the dim light of his "room". The vision was still fresh in his young mind, preventing his heart from slowing to its original pace. That was unmistakably his father...and his imagination was already burning with what could have made him feel that way. He needed help...right now. But how could he get to him?

At that very moment, a dark presence drifting at the corners of his mind made him spin around to face the door.

"Have you already forgotten, Timothy?"

His heart beat faster as Slade stepped into the dim light, an orange and black mask covering all but his single eye. A sense of evil so strong it made his stomach turn hit Timmy like a wave... How could he have missed that for so long?

"Your father betrays you, I reveal him as the cold-blooded killer he is...and yourush to his aid?" Slade shook his head condescendingly. "Ignorant child."

Timmy's hands glowed black as energy built inside him, burning away what strength he had left. Slade's warning about overusing his power echoed in his head, but he had no other choice. He had to beat Slade--

A scream tore from his throat as Slade vanished, immediately followed up by the feeling of hands on his arms, jerking them behind his back and pinning them there with an iron grip. He struggled in vain.

"Come now, child. Why make this difficult for yourself? You pledged yourself to me, to my service, and to all that comes along with it. I realize that this is a difficult concept for your underdeveloped mind to grasp...but promises cannot always be broken. All it takes is someone stronger than you to come along with a price you can't afford. This is the real world, my boy. Join it."

Timmy yelled in frustration, angry tears leaking from his eyes as he kicked and squirmed against slade's impossible hold. "Shut up!"

"I highly suggest you stop fighting." Slade's tone was becoming more and more dangerous by the second. "You're forcing my hand, and once it strikes, your life will quickly become a living hell. Don't push me, boy." Slade spun Timmy around, fingers biting into his shoulder, thumbs forcing his head up.

Timmy glared into the icy gray eye with as much hatred as he could express. Slowly, a change came over the single orb. The light of recognition appeared in the gray, the haze of memory followed...and then, eerie and terrifying, the dark cloud of mutual hate.

With a sudden shove, Slade sent Timmy crashing to the ground, concrete scraping his skin raw. Breathing hard, TImmy gazed up from the ground at the towering figure of slade.

"Not long now, Robin," he breathed, eyes boring holes in Timmy's face. The boy knew the monster hadn't meant him this time.

* * *

_Ah, so there's another chapter. We're nearing the end here, so hang on a little bit longer. I have a bit of news for you once the final chapter is up, so wait for it. Review please! -dusty_


	14. See Right Through

_Wow...I'm finally here with an update. Sorry this took so long...the end of a story usually does. Enjoy.

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_

Richard gripped Raven's hand tightly, allowing her to guide him through the suffocating darkness, energy thrumming through him as she excerted her strength toward sensing their surroundings.

"I hope you understand that this is nearly pointless," Raven droned, her voice instinctively hushed, as though all too aware of the listening in the darkness around her. "There's no way out of--" She broke off, silence reigning.

Richard squeezed her hand, eyes straining to see in the darkness. Unwilling to risk a question, he waited with bated breath.

"That wasn't..." Suspicion radiated from Raven as her brain churned into action. "That's not possible."

"What?" he whispered, testing his voice against the black aura pressing in from all sides. It failed miserably.

"There's a door," she muttered, voice oozing disbelief. "An _unlocked_ door."

Dread fell like a boulder in his stomach region. That could only mean one of two things. Either they were walking into a trap or the reason for their restraint had been eliminated. Urgency seized him in its iron grasp. "We have to go now!" he breathed, waiting impatiently for Raven's guidance.

"Robin, I don't think--"

"We have to go _now_," he repeated, emphasizing every word. Only a lifetime of training held him together at this point.

Raven took a deep breath, letting it whistle quietly past her teeth and out into the darkness. Her footsteps were sure as she cut through, and before long, the grate of metal on metal echoed in the absolute silence, and they stood in a dim, yet painfully bright to Richard, hallway. It curved endlessly ahead, disappearing around a bend, beckoning with such force that Richard found himself staggering forward with no intention of his own.

Feeling a tug at his arm, Richard blinked at Raven in bewilderment. "What are you waiting for?"

Her gaze now had a hint of fear in it, swirled together with the previous suspicion. "Robin, this doesn't feel right. I don't think we should--"

Raven fell silent as a low rumble vibrated through the air, racing into a moan, then a shriek...

A fierce blast of unearthly wind whipped around them, tearing and ripping at their bodies as though determined to shred every molecule. Raven's lips were moving, her eyes lit with panic, but the words were stolem from Richard. Clamping a hand around his wife's wrist, he did the only thing he could.

He ran.

* * *

Timmy watched Slade as one would a starved wolf pack, quivering in fear and exhaustion. _Doom_. He sensed it on every inch of himself, Slade, the room, eternity. All he could see was his own impending doom. All else had ceased to exist.

Slade's glare took on an extra layer of ferocity, and Timmy's stomach clenched as a slow, sadistic chuckle escaped his mouth. "You have no idea hjust how right you are, my boy. I fear you've missed a few details, all the same."

Slade shoved a fist in Timmy's face, making the boy flinch away, but he didn't hit him. Instead, Timmy's amethyst eyes opened to the gleam of metal.

A one-eyed mask stared back at him, eye socket empty and black, teeth bared in a permanent snarl. A cold fear awoke in the back of his mind.

"Recognize it?" droned Slade, a despicable note of pleasure in his voice. He was enjoying this.

Timmy trembled, a wave of images flooding his mind. The man with no face... The man from his dream, his nightmare...

"That's right, dear child. I am the thing that keeps you up at night." His hands clamped around Timmy's shirt, dragging him upward until their noses practically touched. "The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind."

Laughing in Timmy's face, he dropped him carelessly, the boy's legs connecting with concrete and buckling underneath him. Blood dripped steadily from the cut in his lip as he curled himself into the tightest ball possible. His eyes were wide and dry with shock. _I'm going to die._

Slade turned sharply. "Die?" he repeated, as though the thought was laughable. "Certainly not. After all, what use would you be to me then?" Timmy shivered violently as the temperature in the room dropped a good twenty degrees. "If my task could have been accomplished in death," he droned, voice deepening and grating on the silence, "don't you think I would have done it by now?"

Timmy was gasping for air as though someone had a hand clamped around his throat. Fear sometimes triggered asthma attacks in him because of some complication he had as a baby, but they had never been this severe before. He focused merely on drawing breath as Slade chuckled somewhere over his head.

"Robin denied me, child," hissed Slade, crouched beside Timmy. "I offered him the world. I handed him more power than anyone could hope to attain. I rescued him from his pathetic teammates, and what did he do in return?"

A hand gripped his hair, yanking it back until he was forced to gaze into the gray eye. "No one denies Deathstroke. Robin may not have paid for it while I was alive, but he will pay now. He will pay the utmost price. He will see everything that he holds dear crumble before his very eeys. And he will watch as his own son destroys him." Timmy gasped in pain as Slade gave his hair a jerk, automatic tears welling in his eyes. "I will make sure of it."

"Get the HELL away from my son!"

Timmy watched, heart thudding madly as the light of pure evil lit Slade's single eye on fire. Leaning close, making the boy's skin crawl, he whispered, "Right on time."

Straightening to his full height, "Deathstroke" left Timmy where he lay. "Robin, how nice of you to join us. We were just talking about you."

Timmy rolled over, pushing himself up on hands and knees as the ground rocked underneath him. Through tear-filled eyes, he saw his mother and father standing before Slade; black energy shimmered in her hands while his were clenched tightly into fists. Relief brought another wave of tears as he sobbed silently, his throat tight. "Papa," he wheezed, trying and failing to stand. "Mama."

"I swear, if you touch my son--" Richard choked, then doubled over in pain. Raven grabbed his arm, her face searching desperately fo the source of his agony.

"i'm afraid I have no further desire to speak with you, Robin. I now have what I want." A cold chuckle escaped him as Richard jerked with increased pain; he would have fallen if Raven hadn't been there to catch him. "All that remains is to watch you suffer."

Raven growled low in the back of her throat, lowering her husband to the ground and gathering a sphere of black energy between her palms. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she roared, releasing the sphere on Slade.

Timmy watched, suspended in a thick mixture of shock and horror, as the energy traveled in slow motion towards the monster in front of him. He watches as it connected with Slade's body. He watches as it passed through him. He watched as it disappeared into the darkness behind him.

His mama's eyes were wide with astonishment as Slade held out his hands mockingly. In the next second, she stumbled backward, a look of fear in her eyes. "No..." she groaned, shaking her head and blinking rapidly. "Timmy!"

He heard her voice through a fog as he struggled for every breath, eyes flickering open and closed. What was Slade doing to them? How could he hurt them without even touching them?

_"Slade's dead," _his mind replied. _"He said so himself."_

_But...how could that be?_ he thought back sluggishly. _I can feel him..._

_"Don't you remember anything about ghosts? All he would need is an object that reflects his existance on earth. With that, he could do endless things--including touch you."_

Vague memories of his mother's books, read in bits and pieces when she wasn't looking, drifted across his mind. _Just an object...?_

_"Yes," _his mind snapped impatiently. _"And what would that be, I wonder?"_

Too dazed to realize how odd it was to be insulted by his own mind, Timmy glanced to his rigth, eyes locking on the ghastly mask. Slade had probably dropped it to deal with his parents. _The mask is his object..._ And with that, his body seemed to reawaken.

Slade buried his foot in Richard's side as he lay helpless on the ground. "Timothy is mine now, Robin. And you..._you_ have no further purpose. No doubt we'll be seeing eachother again...after all, there's only one place for murderers, Robin." Slade was moving in for the kill...

Putting his mind, and the pain, on hold, Timmy closed his eyes, seeing in his inner eye the pulsing black energy within himself. It was weakened, but he had to use it. It was the only way.

He envisioned the energy gathering into one sphere, being sucked from his body and concentrated in that center. Instantly, he felt the drain on his body, but he pushed harder, biting his lip to keep himself awake. He only had one shot...

Head engulfed his small body as the energy drew together, and he felt himself rise off the ground, floating in a haze of black as the power grew painfully with each second. Almost...

When he knew he couldn't hold it for one more second, Timmy gritted his teeth and freed the energy with a scream of pain as it ripped from him. His body hit the ground, and he watched through fast-dimming eyes as the disappointly small ball of blackness spiraled towards the innocently-placed scrap of metal. He saw Slade turn, saw his icy eye widen...

The son of Robin and Raven collapsed as darkness overtook him, so much later than it should have.

* * *

_There you have it...I know there's a lot of things that need explaining after this chapter but...it is unbelievably late, so...that will have to wait. There are two chapters left for this story, and then its goodbye once again...They'll be up much sooner I swear. -Dusty_


	15. Everything Changes

_…Oh hello. Yeah I've finally got the second-to-last chap done. The next will just be an epilogue, which I have had planned out for months yet I can't post until I have a certain conversation with a certain someone…anyway, why worry about that when you have this chapter ahead of you? Hopefully it satisfies…I tried my darnedest to explain everything without sounding like a police report. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Feedback is positively marvelous.

* * *

_

_"This just in—the Grayson family has been found!"_

Bruce choked on his mouthful of coffee, nearly spraying it all over himself. "What?" he coughed, turning up the volume on the television.

_"I repeat, the Grayson family has been found!" _The newscaster hitched her best relieved smile into place. _"After weeks with no word of them, Richard Grayson, his wife, and his son were discovered. There are still many questions about their disappearance, however. Phoenix Johnson is on location at the Grayson home." _

The camera flashed to a young man standing in front of Dick's house, wearing a bored expression. _"That's right, Suzie. The police have yet to fully understand everything that occurred during the Grayson's absence, while Richard Grayson refused to speak with the police force psychologist, as is standard procedure for cases of kidnap."_

An image of Dick briefly crossed the screen, and Bruce drew in a sharp breath as he saw the taped cut on his forehead and his sunken cheeks. _"No one has been seriously harmed, we're all fine. There's no need for concern." _

Bruce cracked a smile, swallowing hard. That was Dick, alright.

_"When asked about the criminal Nightwing and his apparent involvement in their capture, the family unanimously denied it."_

Tears welled up in the old man's eyes as an image of his little godson appeared on the screen, looking just as changed as his father and sporting a fat lip. _"Nightwing didn't kidnap us, he saved us."_

The reporter was back again. _"However, the Grayson family refuses to explain anything that happened during their absence. Although doubtful, Jump City Police Force has discontinued the hunt for Nightwing until further notice. Back to you, Suzie."_

Ditching her grin for a look of concern, Suzie rushed right on to the next item on her cue cards. _"Meanwhile, downtown Gotham was hit with devastating fires last night—"_

Bruce flicked off the TV. He didn't need to hear the report—he'd been there, after all.

Picking up the phone, Bruce dialed and waited anxiously while it rang once, twice…

"Dick?" he choked, doing his best to keep his voice steady. "Is that you, Squirt?"

* * *

Raven Roth Grayson made her way down the tree-lined sidewalk, hands in the pockets of her jeans, violet hair blown by the playful breeze. The heat had mellowed considerably since last night's thunderstorm, making it a perfect day for a walk. That wasn't exactly what she had in mind, however. 

The playground was deserted, forgotten papers blowing this way and that across the empty yard. School wouldn't be back in for another two months, and until then, this place wouldn't see much action.

Raven headed for the lonely swing set, choosing a swing next to the lonely boy with the messy black hair. Knowing that this was a moment for silence, the empathy merely stared ahead, letting the wind dictate the movement of her swing.

It wasn't long before Timmy broke the silence.

"I'm a freak." His lip trembled, a single tear slipping down his cheek. Dark energy shimmered around his hands, spreading to the links in the swing's chain.

Raven found her own eyes burning as she sensed the struggle raging underneath his skin and inside his soul. It was the same battle that she had to fight every moment of her life, reflected on another. Useless regret awoke inside her as the ever-present question asked itself once again. Was it right? Had it been a cruel choice, burdening new life with her own torment?

The doubt was silenced in the same way it always had been. She wouldn't take back Timmy for anything life could offer.

"You aren't a freak." Her voice came out dry and feeling less, and quite suddenly, she felt very sixteen and clueless again.

The energy disappeared like a blinked out light bulb, and Timmy pushed gently against the ground, setting the swing in motion. "I always knew I wasn't like them; I always knew I was different." She felt him retreat, and icy shell beginning to form. "That's why they hate me so much."

Raven imitated Timmy, swinging gently with the breeze. "They don't hate you. They just don't…"

"'We fear that which we do not understand,'" he offered quietly. "They're afraid of me…and it's good. I could hurt them." Little by little the kicks were becoming more ferocious, sending the swing higher and higher. "I could make them cry. I could kill them. It's good that they're afraid of me. I am a monster."

His violet eyes glowed white as a bolt of black lightning shot from his clenched fists, shredding the leaves from a nearby tree. With a growl of frustration, Timmy jumped from the swing and landed hard on the ground, crouched on hands and knees.

Raven knelt beside him, placing a gentle hand on his quivering shoulder. He stood slowly, watching as the bloody scrapes melted away with a faint, blue glow. Tears slipped from his heartbroken eyes in a never-ending stream. "Why? Why did this have to happen? I don't know anything….anymore."

Raven pulled him to her, folding herself around him as she so often had when he cried mournfully in his crib. "I know this is hard for you, but you can't let yourself believe that. Your heart still knows the truth."

Timmy shuddered and gasped, fighting to control the tears, fearing his power. "S-Slade…he said that Papa—" His voice trailed off in a heart wrenching squeak.

"Shh," Raven whispered, rocking him gently and resting her chin on his head. "Everything Slade told you was a lie." Her eyebrows drew together as movement ceased, deep thought visible in her eyes. "What did he tell you, Timmy?"

The boy pulled away gently, sniffing and wiping the tears from his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His struggle was too painful for her to watch.

Careful and gentle, Raven edged into Timmy's mind as she had done in times of danger or merely contemplation when he was a baby. At first, he resisted out of pure shock, his eyes wide and calculating, but she coaxed him along, nudging him in the right directions until their minds had melted into one. Carefully withholding her own memories, Raven whispered into his mind. "You don't have to tell me. Show them to me. Show me the memories."

Timmy radiated confusion for a moment, but before long she felt the familiar horizontal fall, sucking her backwards in time until the playground had disappeared entirely.

_She was staring at a glass display, lit from beneath. Disbelief and fear quivered inside her as she stared at the black bird, the tiny N on its left side. N…Nightwing._

_She fell hard, scooting desperately away from the case and all that it meant. Not Papa…he wouldn't…he would never—_

_"But he did," echoed the strange voice._

_**M**  
_

_Silent tears streamed down her red cheeks as she rocked gently back and forth on the curb, so lost, so afraid…_

_And that's when she heard it, the voice whispering just a notch above the whistling wind. _

_"My dear boy, why are you crying?"_

_**M**_

_The man straightened with practiced ease, taking a few steps toward her. "If you want to know the truth, want to hear the legacy of the Teen Titans in their days of glory, look no further than what you have in front of you."_

_She swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. "How do you know about them? Papa's never…"_

_The man was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, his words were blunt, yet stated so naturally. "Because I trained them."_

_**M**_

_"Where to start? Thirteen years ago, a boy going by the name of Robin formed a team in Jump City, composed of teenagers with supernatural abilities. The Teen Titans, as they called themselves, were dedicated to justice, to keeping their city free of crime. Their intentions were good, but they lacked...experience. Something that I could give them. Starfire, an alien from the planet Tamaran; Cyborg, a half-robot; Beast Boy, a changeling; Terra, an earth-shifter; Raven, a half-demon. And then there was Robin, their leader."_

_She felt the scene speed up and pass in a blur of light, knowing that Timmy was fast-forwarding unnecessary events. When the world steadied, Slade's cold eye was trained on her._

_"And then...something completely unexpected happened. I don't think even she could explain how or why, but over time, Raven developed...feelings for him. No doubt she thought she could quench his thirst for revenge and show him a better side of life, a more honorable reason to live. He seemed to return her affections. They were married, and slowly, the Teen Titans ceased to exist. The aging heroes were now doing their best to settle into a life of obscurity. All except Robin."_

_Realization spread through her like ice._

_"A wife, a child, and a struggling company were not enough to convince him to renounce the old ways. Rather, he destroyed them. Now that he was free of the accountability that comes along with leading a team, he could do things the way he had always wanted to. His true self was unleashed. Nightwing did not shrink away from murder as Robin had. His blows were not measured and restrained. Richard told himself that he was a hero...but in truth, the makings of a criminal were inside him all along."_

_**M**_

_ "An intelligent man is capable of ruling the universe. You, child, are far from intelligent. You are not even capable of understanding why your father does not love you."_

The world shimmered, then shattered like glass, tiny shards of light blinding Raven as she sat blinking on the grass.

Timmy sat shivering beside her, drooping with exhaustion and the pain of remembering.

Raven took a moment to catch her breath and absorb what she had just seen. The facts were wrong…but her stomach churned with just how true the meaning behind Slade's words had been. Too much of it hit too close to home.

She spoke slowly, measuring each word. "Your father is a good man. He would never hurt you, he would never take a life. He loves you and I more than anything else in this world. She pulled him into her lap, letting his fuzzy hair tickle her chin. He relaxed in her arms.

"When we were young, Robin took care of all of us. He would rather give his own life than see us suffer. Slade used that against him. He tried every dirty trick in the book to make Robin a criminal like him, but Robin never let him."

Raven's eyes became glazed as she sank into the past, all of it flooding back to her until she almost forgot that Timmy was there. "But one day, something terrible happened. We had defeated the Brotherhood of Evil, and we were all eager to get home. But while we were gone, a horrible monster came to Jump City. It could take the shape of any element, from water to air to earth to fire. We failed in all attempts to defeat it."

Her voice became thick with unshed tears as the day enveloped her until she was almost living it again. "In desperation, Robin told us the last plan of attack. It was risky, but we all trusted him to pull us through, just like he always had. Cyborg was to attract his attention and hold him off while the four of us hid around them, gathering our strength and waiting to attack the monster with everything we had." She hugged Timmy tighter, comforting herself with his warmth. "We won the battle that day…but we lost Cyborg. Robin never forgave himself."

Timmy turned in her arms, hugging her back and running his fingers through her hair as she cried silently. No words were spoken, but Timmy told her that he believed.

* * *

Raven rushed to the door the moment she heard him pull up. He all but crawled out of the Jaguar, looking completely exhausted. She performed the routine wound-check, but was relieved to find none.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said with a weak smile.

Raven chuckled, linking arms with him and leading the way into the house. "Timmy's asleep," she said, not knowing if it was an explanation or simply a statement of fact.

He nodded silently as she found herself in the delightfully cool bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Studying the hollows and lines in his face brought the events of the last few weeks back in a whirlwind. She winced slightly as she examined the memories.

_Timmy crumpling to the ground, his energy spent…_

_Slade exploding like so much dynamite, only to vanish as the world became black…_

_Opening her eyes to see sunlight streaming through the cracks in the blinds…_

_The vague hope that it had all been a dream…_

_And the unshakable knowledge that every moment was real._

"How is he?"

Raven let the question roll around in her mind, looking for some way to answer it. That last use of his power had drained Timmy more than Richard could know, leaving him mentally and physically wounded in the invisible sense. It would heal with time…but such injuries never failed to leave a scar. There was no real way of knowing how Timmy would handle his.

"I think he'll be alright. He just needs some time…and a little help with his powers."

Richard nodded, eyes glazed. He was no stranger to wounds and scars. Raven could only imagine what being unable to save his own son had done to him… Guilt struggled to grow within her own subconscious. Slade's blows, however… There was nothing they could have done differently.

Searching for a change of subject to get the stricken look off of Richard's face, Raven said the first thing that came to mind. "Nightwing's been cleared, then?"

Richard nodded vaguely. "For the moment."

Raven was somewhat surprised by his lack of enthusiasm. Isn't this what he had wanted? "So you'll be able to keep up hero work."

"I probably could." His face remained blank.

Raven quirked an eyebrow. "And…you aren't happy about this?"

Richard fixed his eyes on her, and they lost their distance, becoming strikingly clear as they met hers. His hand cupped her cheek lightly. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"What?" Raven whispered, the breath escaping her lungs.

"I'm not Nightwing anymore, Rae. I'm giving it up."

Her wide eyes searched his face for any hint of regret or uncertainty. There was none. "Richard, are you—?"

He kissed her as he hadn't for years—gentle, leisurely, as though he had no better way to spend his time. "It's _this_, Rae—This is what matters to me. You, Timmy…without that I have no reason to live. I'm _not_ going to miss one more second of my life."

He spoke with so much honesty and passion that Raven felt her eyes burn with tears. "Robin…" she gasped, struggling to find the words to give him, gazing at the way the dim light bathed his face as though seeing him for the first time.

Robin took her in his arms, just as he had that first time an eternity ago, when their love was unmarred by trial and pain. He kissed her sweetly, ran his hands up her arms and across her back, pulled her against his chest where his heart beat reassuringly in her ear. She melted against him, soaking up his warmth, reveling in the security she had missed for so long.

"Raven?" he whispered, the words brushing gently against her cheek, as they lay nose to nose. "Do you…"

The sentence trailed away into silence, but she knew exactly what he meant. And her heart, her entire being, knew the answer.

"Yes."

* * *

_Well…ok. Hopefully you liked that…sorry for the touch of sentiment at the end, I couldn't help it. If you have any questions that have yet to be answered, now is the time to ask them! I will put up the epilogue as soon as possible, and I may (or may not) have news for you when that happens. For now…I'll settle for a review. :Dusty_


	16. Friend

_Hi...well looks like that variable fell through, so heres the little epilogue I've made you wait so long for. It's really just for fun, since I've already wrapped up the story so...enjoy!_

* * *

Timmy could barely contain himself. The excitement had been building for weeks now, and here it was, down to mere hours before they came. 

Their house had been completely transformed by Christmas. Blue and white lights lit every ceiling, evergreen branches hung above doors, gingerbread candles burned with an innocent glow. The best part was the living room.

The tree towered to the ceiling, filling the room with the comforting smell of pine. Lights in all the colors of the rainbow glittered on the white, gold, and silver ornaments. Strings of popcorn (made by him) and candycanes completed te most amazing Christmas tree he had ever seen. The very sight of it made his young heart beat fast with anticipation of the morning when he would race down the hall to see presents piled in shining heaps beneath its branches. That tree made him almost believe that Santa Claus really would drop down that chimney.

Violet eyes widened as he sensed the arrival of seven people, three of them children. He was already racing for the door when the bell rang, and he threw it open before five seconds had gone by.

Every one of them jumped, taking a step back and staring at him. A flush rose to his cheeks as he realized what he had done. The only thing that kept him from running away was his mother's hand on his shoulder.

"Come in! You must be exhausted from that horrible trip!"

Their surprise vanished, and in a split second, the entryway erupted with sound. Timmy kept his hands tightly wound into his mother's velvet maternity dress.

"Raven! It's so good to see you again!"

"I'm freezing my ass off!"

"Watch your mouth, Gar! Amber's already picking up on your filthy language!"

They were ushered into the front room, where dufflebags were piled and coats, gloves, and hats were shed. The chatter grew to a dull roar as the wild excitement of meeting old friends simmered down. His papa came out of the kitchen, slapping the red-haired man on the back. Timmy was not forgotten; papa's gaze soon fell on him.

"Alright, let's have everyone's names!" He took his son by the shoulders, untangling his hands from Raven's skirt. "This is my son, Timothy Allen Grayson." Timmy waves awkwardly, face bright red.

The red-haired man stepped forward and shook his hand. "Hey, Timo!" A carefree grin split his face--Timmy sensed his almost frigthening energy. "I'm Roy, this is my wife Kori." The woman with equallly bright hair and vivid green eyes hugged him tightly. "This is my daughter Britney, and my son Cameron." A girl slightly taller than him and nearly identical to Kori waved shyly, while a boy with strawberry blonde hair stared at him with hostile, dull green eyes.

Before Timmy could even take in their names, the blonde woman was rufling his hair. "I'm Tara, and the green guy is my husband Gar, and my daughter Amber is the obnoxious one." Gar waved with a half-hearted smile, while the girl stopped yacking to Raven and fixed her emerald green eyes on him. Hair so deeply green it was almost black fell forward on he forehead and grazed the top of her shoulders. She was barely shorter than him, but infinitely smaller. All of the above gave her the appearance of a wood fairy, or maybe a water nymph...

"Stare hard, retard!"  
The words shocked him out of his daze and heated his face once again. It was undoubtedly an insult, but the way she was giggling wasn't hostile. In the next instant she had grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the adults. He faintly heard Tara cooing over his mama's belly.

"When are you due?"

"February 24..."

The rest of the conversation was lost to him as Amber shut the door. "Let's go to your room," she insisted, waiting impatiently for him to lead the way. Rubbing his hand through his hair nervously, he led the way, wondering what she was plannning to do once they got there. Hiding in his mom's skirt sounded pretty good right about now.

Amber marched stright over to his meticulously made bed and flopped on it, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to her chest. The intense eyes still hadn't left his face.

"So do you talk or what?"

He was getting tired of blushing. "I do," he said defensively, staring down at his shoes.

She laughed, and instantly he slipped back into the daze. Her green eyes sparkled with a light that only comes from complete confidence and happiness.Curiousity took control of his mind as it reached out to hers, probing, searching...he brushed the edges, opened the door--

She shivered, back suddenly rigid. "What did you do? How are you doing that?"

He flinched, withdrawing his mind. "I'm sorry...I-I didn't mean to..." Here it comes, he thought. Now she'll call me a freak...

Then he realized she was not accusing, but curious. "Is that your power? What is it?"

His eyes widened in surprise, studyding her face and wondering how much he should say. She patted the bed beside her, and he slowly sat down. "Um...my mom calls it a mind meld. I guess I just sense things about people through their thoughts and memories."

"Whoa...you read minds?" Her smile widened in awe. "Awesome!"

He nodded, choosing to leave it at that. He didn't want this sweet girl (who didn't hate him yet) to know anything else about his powers.

"Ok, tell me what I'm thinking right now." She closed her eyes, concentration wrinkling her forehead.

Timmy took a deep breath, reaching out to Amber with his mind. It was easier this time because she was open to him, and before long he ran into a sentence. _I like your eyes._

The mentioned eyes nearly popped out of his head; his face felt like it was on fire as a mischievous grin spread across Amber's face.

Maintaining the connection, he focused on sending a thought to her jsut like his mom had taught him. _I like yours, too._

The smile was sweet this time as a hint of color crept into her cheeks. _So what do you think of everybody?_

Uncertainty lingered in his mind, until he remembered that emotions transfer as well as thoughts. _...Your mom's nice._

No sound came from her mouth, but he distinctly heard her laugh and felt that surge of confident happiness through their connection. _Daddy's not so bad once you get to know him, but I hate Cameron and Britney. They're such spoiled brats! Theiir parents give them everything they want._

_Oh. _Timmy's face fell as a sudden and disturbing thought occurred to him. What if Amber thought the same thing about him?

_I don't._ Amber shifted onthe bed, returning the pillow to its rightful place and giving him her full attention. "Why are you so nervous, anyway? I like you just fine, and I bet other people would too if you would talk more. What are you scared of?"

Timmy fixed his eyes on his hands, blinking furiously. Great...now he was going to bawl like a baby. "I don't know," he mumbled, knowing that he could never make her understand. No one ever would, just him and his mom.

He was shocked to feel Amber's thin arms pull him into a surprisingly strong embrace. "Well, don't be. I'll be your friend for always, and when stuff makes you scared, I'll be there to help. Ok?" She pulled back, giving him a reassuring smile.

Overwhelmed and fighting tears, he could only manage a very small, "Ok."

At that moment, they heard a knock on the door and Raven poked her head in. "Dinner's ready, kids."

Amber took off with a whoop of delight while Timmy was still untangling himself from the bed. His mom shut the door and stood nest to him. "Is everything all right?" she asked, smoothing his hair back with a cool hand.

He smiled slowly, thoughts lingering on everything that had happened since the day his father missed his graduation. Thinking of his papa, his mom, and now Amber, he was surprised to find that the answer was...

"Yeah." He leaned against her soft dress, but no longer felt the urge to hide in it. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

_So how was that? Wow...this story is finally over. Hope you enjoyed the ride. It's goodbye for Dark Corners. -Dusty_


End file.
